The American Bahá’í/Volume 16/Issue 9/Text

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[Page 1]September 1985

The American Bahá’í

More than 1,500 are enrolled, 8 new Assemblies formed

Project Tabarsi sizzles in South Carolina

Bahá’í youth prepare themselves for another exciting day of teaching the Faith in South Carolina’s Project Tabarsi.

Since Project Tabarsi was launched last Riḍván in South Carolina, and especially since the start of its intensive teaching phase in June, more than 1,500 new believers have embraced the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh.

AS OF mid-July, eight new Spiritual Assemblies had been formed—in Eutawville, Branchville, Vance, Greater Holly Hill, Lone Star, Cameron, Santee and Hemingway.

These tremendous victories have sprung from the sincere and sacrificial efforts of some 130 volunteers, many of them youth, who have arisen for varying periods of time to help the Tabarsi campaign.

Some of these teachers are homefront pioneers, nearly 60 of whom have come to South Carolina in the past year. More are needed if consolidation plans are to be carried forward in an effective manner.

The over-all strategy guiding the efforts of Project Tabarsi, which is grounded in an intense desire to win the goals of the Seven Year Plan, is a result of consultation among the seven District Teaching Committees in South Carolina.

After surveying the potential for growth, each of the committees has targeted a limited number of its cities and towns for “saturation teaching.”

Such an approach is being used in five areas of Eastern District No. 2—Kingstree, Lake City, Hemingway, Conway and Donnely—where whole groups of people, families and neighborhoods, are being brought into the Faith.

IN THIS way, a base of mutual support is formed and new avenues are opened for more effective means of consolidation.

The District Teaching Committees have also identified communities whose Spiritual Assemblies are numerically jeopardized.

Teachers focus on these places too, to facilitate the process of Assembly elections before the end of the Plan at Riḍván 1986.

WLGI Radio is a constant presence in teaching as well as in the daily lives of the new believers, helping them to mold their Bahá’í identities through exposure to prayers, devotions, the principles of the Faith, and the schedule of Bahá’í Feasts and Holy Days.

In addition, groups of local youth in a number of towns are being given special training in a pilot program based on memorization of the Creative Word and a study of the history and teachings

See TABARSI Page 4

Statement on peace to dominate discussions as 95 District Conventions convene October 6

District Conventions will be held Sunday, October 6, in 95 districts throughout the country, and all Bahá’ís are warmly invited and indeed encouraged to attend.

A HIGHLIGHT of this year’s Conventions will be a special taped message from Glenford E. Mitchell, a member of the Universal House of Justice, whose topic will be the peace statement, “The Promise of World Peace,” soon to be released by the House of Justice to the peoples of the world.

Ways of promoting the statement on peace will be one of the major items for consultation at each Convention.

All Bahá’ís are urged to participate in the District Convention, which is an essential part of the Bahá’í administrative order.

As the beloved Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, said in a letter written on his behalf and dated November 16, 1943:

“... He wishes to stress the importance of reminding the believers that they should make every possible effort to attend the meeting for the election of the State or Province delegates ... to stimulate a larger group consciousness which will greatly facilitate the process of the believers becoming acquainted with each other, and provide an intermediary state ... between the local organization, represented by the group or Assembly, and national collective action, represented by the activities of the Convention and the institution of the National Assembly.”

THE PRIMARY PURPOSE of District Conventions is to elect the delegates who will represent their districts and elect the members of the National Spiritual Assembly at the next National Convention.

Next year’s National Convention will be held May 1-4 in Chicago.

Another vital aspect of the District Convention is allowing for a wide-ranging exchange of views among the friends on the important affairs of the Cause in each district.

Convention calls have been mailed to all adult Bahá’ís with known addresses who are eligible to vote.

The Convention call includes information about Convention sites, who is to receive ballots by mail, the number of delegates to vote for in each district, and phone numbers to call for more information ‎is listed are listed‎ on Pages 18 and 26 in this issue of The American Bahá’í.

If you are unable to attend the District Convention, you should vote by mail, using the ballot you receive with your Convention call. Should you not receive a ballot in the mail, use the following procedures to vote:

● ON A white piece of paper

See CONVENTIONS Page 4

‘Mona with Children’ record, video climb charts in Canada; U.S. release this month

The song “Mona with the Children,” already climbing the popularity charts in Canada, is to be released in the U.S. in mid-September by a commercial record company.

“MONA with the Children,” written by Canadian singer/composer Doug Cameron, is a tribute to 17-year-old Mona Mahmudnizhad, the youngest of 10 women martyred in Shiraz in June 1983.

It was released in Canada in mid-July as a single and on an album, and by mid-August had reached No. 41 on the Canadian record charts.

In addition, a five-minute music video that dramatizes the lyrics of the song is being seen regularly on Canadian music programs.

“Much Music,” Canada’s equivalent of MTV, plays the “Mona” video four or five times

See MONA Page 14

45 Bahá’ís attend World Conference for Women, Forum ’85 in Nairobi, Kenya

The Jomo Kenyatta International Conference Centre in Nairobi, Kenya, site of the 1985 World Conference for Women. Among the 14,000 people who attended were 45 Bahá’ís.

“We need answers!” was the cry of women from around the world who gathered July 15-26 at the Jomo Kenyatta International Conference Centre in Nairobi, Kenya, for the 1985 World Conference for Women.

ABOUT 14,000 people attended the “World Conference to Review and Appraise the Achievements of the United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace.”

Two thousand delegates representing more than 140 countries met to draft a report on “forward-looking strategies for the advancement of women,” and 180 non-governmental organizations including the Bahá’í Faith came together for Forum ’85 to discuss plans for a worldwide women’s peace movement.

The document drafted by the United Nations was accepted unanimously by the delegates for the first time since the inception of the UN Decade for Women in 1975.

A summary of that document, titled “The State of the World’s Women, 1985” outlines the results of current research on the position of women around the world.

The report is divided into six

See WOMEN Page 2

Index
Viewpoint	2
Letters	3
IGC: Pioneering	5
Youth News	6-7
Education	8-9
Teaching	10-11
Race Unity	12
Distribution Service	14
Publishing Trust	15
Classifieds	16
The Media	17
District Conventions	18
Persian/American	19-21
In Memoriam	27

[Page 2]

Women

major categories: the family, agriculture, industrialization, health, education, and politics.

Forty-five Bahá’ís attended the Nairobi conference, among whom were Dr. Magdalene M. Carney, a Counsellor member of the International Teaching Centre; Dr. Alberta Deas, a member of the U.S. National Spiritual Assembly; and Dr. Jane Faily, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada.

DR. FAILY presented one of the 1,000 workshops at Forum '85. It was titled "Problem-solving Skills for Women in Managerial Positions: Bahá’í Methods for Management from the Grassroots Up."

Dr. Deas, meanwhile, spoke to an audience of about 750 at a local Teachers College.

Firesides were held during the conference in a number of nearby towns and villages. The people of Kenya were excited about the conference and interested in the Faith.

A fireside with members of the Rindelli tribe, who live on the outskirts of Nairobi, was especially exciting, as these people conduct their tribal business using consultation methods.

Any Bahá’í can give to the Fund—adult or child National Bahá’í Fund Wilmette, IL 60091

Comment

Since Bahá’í ideals are not new to them (sharing and cooperation are an integral part of their social structure), they easily accept the Faith, and several have become Bahá’ís.

The Bahá’ís led a group of about 100 from the conference to a nearby village where they visited a Bahá’í who teaches pre-primary school to 3-5 year olds, preparing them for regular school, which they otherwise would not be able to attend.

On display at the NGO Forum were six educational manuals for teachers and mothers published by the National Spiritual Assembly of Kenya. These manuals, on nutrition, growth and development, discipline, spiritual education, and family advice, have been instrumental in the progress of rural education in that country and are being translated into Swahili and French for use in other African countries.

The Kenyan Bahá’ís had pre-arranged about two hours of radio air time during the conference. They held a dinner for the press and created a favorable relationship with local media.

The friends also placed a small newspaper ad every day of the conference and ran a full-page ad one day near its end which pointed out that "Nairobi" was one of the fruits which had sprung up from the seed sown more than 100 years ago when Táhirih told her executioners, "... You can kill me now, but you cannot stop the emancipation of women!"

Alabama slates peace conference

As a prelude to the United Nations International Year of Peace in 1986, the Spiritual Assembly of Jefferson County, Alabama, is sponsoring a World Peace Conference to be held October 25-27 at Oak Mountain State Park near Birmingham.

The speakers will include Soo Fouts, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly; Dr. Monib Collestan, an assistant to the Auxiliary Board; and a member of the National Youth Committee.

Three members of the working press will discuss ways in which to work with news media in promoting Bahá’í peace efforts.

There will be programs for children and pre-youth, and everyone at the conference will have an opportunity to give input during the "breakout" sessions.

Oak Mountain State Park will accommodate about 90 people, and the cost for two nights' lodging is only $16.95. There are camping facilities nearby, and kitchens are available at the park.

Reservations are being accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Send a $5 registration fee for each person over 3 years of age to Peggy Scott, Birmingham, AL 35216, or phone 205-979-1199. Give details of the number in your party (age, sex, special needs).

Bring linens, towels and food. A potluck will be held Saturday evening around a campfire.

On May 11, the District Youth Committee of Western Massachusetts held a park clean-up day in Worcester. Pictured are (back row left to right) Tom McKinny, Marshal Blake; (center row left to right) Carolyn Eghrari, Susan Felker, T.J. Peavey, and (front row left to right) Behdokht Rouhi, Kate Pflueger, Alex Blake, Sharon Felker, Scott Pflueger, Connie Chen. Not pictured are David Paulson and Mel Fowler.

Guidance from the beloved Guardian

"And now as I look into the future, I hope to see the friends at all times, in every land, and of every shade of thought and character, voluntarily and joyously rallying around their local and in particular their national centers of activity, upholding and promoting their interests with complete unanimity and contentment, with perfect understanding, genuine enthusiasm, and sustained vigor. This indeed is the one joy and yearning of my life, for it is the fountainhead from which all future blessings will flow, the broad foundation upon which the security of the Divine Edifice must ultimately rest. May we not hope that now at least the dawn of a brighter day is breaking upon our beloved Cause?"—Shoghi ("Letters from Shoghi Effendi," p. 67)

Conference sets new course for youth, adults

The "triple conference" held this summer for Bahá’í youth, parents and children in Columbus, Ohio, was more than just another happy event.

AS THE weeks roll by following the emotional close of the gathering at Ohio State University, it becomes clear that the end products of the conference are many and varied.

The anticipated and "prayed-for" results are certainly evident already: increased teaching by individuals, highly successful summer teaching campaigns, countless youth arising to volunteer a year of service to the Faith, a marked rise in the number of traveling teachers.

But what are the long-range, and often more significant, results of an event of this magnitude?

It has become increasingly apparent that the sheer energy and creative vigor of our Bahá’í youth is a force that must be recognized, fostered and encouraged.

Far from segregating the youth as a splinter group of enthusiastic but sometimes misguided followers, we can all seize the fresh opportunities for service that they create through their idealistic vision and youthful perspective.

Recognizing that each new generation of believers brings fresh resources that aid in establishing Bahá’u’lláh’s World Order, we become receptive to employing those resources and tapping the vast potential inherent in each of us, young and old.

THE WRITINGS of our Faith are replete with statements on the particular qualities that youth add to our special lifestyle of unified diversity. No, the young do not have a monopoly on enthusiasm or energy, but they can add a full measure of valued spirit to any endeavor.

The American Bahá’í (USPS 042-430) Published monthly by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States, 536 Sheridan Road, Wilmette, IL 60091. Postmaster: Send address changes to Office of Membership and Records, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091. Editor: Jack Bowers Editorial Assistant: Laura E. Hildreth The American Bahá’í welcomes news, letters and other items of interest from individuals and the various institutions of the Faith. Articles should be written in a clear and concise manner; color or black and white glossy photographs should be included whenever possible. Please address all materials to The Editor, The American Bahá’í, Wilmette, IL 60091. Copyright 1985 by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. World rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.

Elevating the status of youth in our community, in our local, national and individual eyes, is an important outcome of the gathering in Columbus.

The whole concept of Bahá’í family life may have taken a giant step forward as well. The traditional view that mom and dad serve on the Assembly while the kids rush off to their youth meetings... and that is how the family serves the Faith... became somewhat altered in Columbus.

The family can work together as a unit of resources and skills that serves the Faith. As families, we can consult together, setting goals for our action. We can travel together to teaching projects, host firesides together and deepen as a family.

The message sent from the parents to the youth session at Columbus was loud and clear: it is time we joined forces and started our own family-oriented campaign of unified action!

Yes, we are behind you all the way, and we recognize that, working together, we can bring this Faith to new heights of victory. This new level of understanding of our potential as mini-units of service to the Cause can serve only to strengthen us, as individuals, as families and as a Faith.

This commentary on the Bahá’í International Youth Conference held July 3-7 at Ohio State University in Columbus was written by the National Youth Committee.

WHAT about the individual Bahá’í who attends a conference of some 5,500 fellow-believers? What are the long-lasting effects on that one soul who travels from his home in Los Angeles or Wanblee, South Dakota, to take part in an event such as this?

A Hand of the Cause of God addresses us, saying that he can now go to the Abhá Kingdom assured that the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh is in good hands; the Counsellors share their global perspective of our health as a community of victors; the National Spiritual Assembly members appear on stage, somehow physically reflecting their capable leadership and greeting us with affection and admiration.

These become important memories that we can keep deep in our hearts—memories that sustain each of us through future trials.

And what of the Bahá’í Youth Movement? Has it the potential to meet the challenge that "youth can move the world"? Are the resources at hand to transform this small band of energized Bahá’ís into a force for social change?

It would seem that with the elevated status of youth in our community, with the increased unity and commitment of individual Bahá’í families, with the fresh dedication of the individual Bahá’í, that the challenge can indeed be met.

The Bahá’í Youth Movement was officially launched in Ohio this summer, and with the support of all the friends, young and old alike, it will have an impact on our world. If this is the long-range outcome of the gathering in Columbus, then the conference was not merely an event... it was a victory.

The National Youth Committee [Page 3]“The shining spark of truth cometh forth only after the clash of differing opinions.” — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

The American Bahá’í welcomes letters to the editor on any topic of general interest. The purpose of the “letters” column is to allow a free and open exchange of ideas and opinions, never to derogate another’s opinion or attack anyone on a personal level.

Letters should be as brief as possible (a maximum of 250 words is suggested). Letters are subject to editing for length and style. Please address all letters to the Editor, The American Bahá’í, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091.

To the Editor:

The Master loved to hear the friends praising one another, and I would like to hand a bouquet to a person still living who has served the Faith for about half a century.

I refer to Mrs. Alice Dudley who made a pilgrimage to Haifa in the days of the Guardian and produced some very fine notes to show for it.

Mrs. Dudley has pioneered in France, Turkey and Scandinavia, and made two difficult trips to eastern Europe. For a time, she assisted the Universal House of Justice.

This year, at considerable personal sacrifice, Mrs. Dudley gave up her comfortable home near Monterey, California, to become a homefront pioneer to Lakeport, and the result was that an Assembly was established there.

This is her special contribution toward winning the goals of the Seven Year Plan. Congratulations, Alice!

Robert L. Gulick Jr. Glendale, Arizona

To the Editor:

When one considers the hyperbole rampant in our society, it is not surprising that we have difficulty attracting anyone’s attention with the Bahá’í teachings.

Consider a soft drink commercial. The consumer is promised fun, youth, excitement, action and membership in a group. This is put forth with dazzling graphics, rapid pacing and thrilling music.

If you come along five minutes later and talk about world civilization, or the harmony of science and religion, it’s difficult to measure up to the promises of a 50-cent product that seems to offer so much.

When we offer this Faith to others, let us keep in mind the need to express how beautiful it is so that others can feel what we feel.

For example, the power in this Faith has yielded as its fruit in a short span of time some of the finest music, architecture and formal gardens in the world. These art forms embody the spiritual qualities we wish to convey.

We have other gifts to move the heart. I know a Bahá’í woman in chiropractic school where a prayer group would meet in the mornings, a Christian group.

She joined the group and contributed her Bahá’í prayers. The others were very moved, especially by the healing prayers. This is because in 2,000 years no Christian has been able to write a single prayer as beautiful as the utterances of Bahá’u’lláh, and Christ left only one prayer.

I know another woman who went to a convent and had the 20 nuns nearly in tears over the beauty of the Bahá’í prayers.

Here are some other “gifts” we can offer: we have a pearl, a sword, an ocean and a family, by which I mean the “priceless pearl” (Shoghi Effendi), the sword of Mullá Husayn, the ocean of Bahá’u’lláh’s utterances, and a more loving family than most non-Bahá’ís have ever known—the Bahá’í community.

Craig Loehle Aiken, South Carolina

To the Editor:

The Universal House of Justice, responding to a letter from a Bahá’í in the Houston, Texas, area asking whether there is a revealed prayer for the House of Justice, answered as follows:

“With reference to your letter . . . inquiring whether there is a revealed prayer for the Universal House of Justice, we are asked to say that a prayer for this specific purpose is not known to have been revealed. As the House of Justice does not compose prayers, you are free to use any of the existing prayers you wish for this purpose.”

The letter is signed by Mrs. Baharieh Ma’ani for the Department of the Secretariat at the World Centre.

John F. Schuessler S.E. Harris County, Texas

To the Editor:

While it is true that many creative Bahá’ís contribute their works as a gift to the Faith, it is equally true that to use a Bahá’í’s design, song or written materials without his permission is like forging his signature on a check to the Fund.

IT IS often difficult for non-artists or writers to consider a non-tangible “creation” (such as a design or a song) as a piece of property like a car or money in the bank, but to a professional artist, that is exactly what it is.

When another Bahá’í uses that creation without the owner’s permission, it is a form of theft because it robs the artist of control over his or her property—and thus his livelihood. That is why there are copyright laws.

Though most Bahá’ís know that books are copyrighted, many don’t consider the fact that many songs, designs and poems are also owned by individuals.

For example, the two doves with a heart design belongs to me; the “Love That Child” design is by John Solarz; and “One Planet, One People . . . Please” belongs to the Spiritual Assembly of Los Angeles.

All of them would appreciate being contacted before any materials were produced using their designs.

EVEN songs usually belong to someone. Look on the back of Come and Sing or Flight and you’ll find names and copyrights connected with each song.

While this doesn’t mean that you can’t sing these songs at Feast or for personal enjoyment, it does mean that you can’t duplicate these tapes or make recordings of your own to sell—even if it is for the Fund—without the writers’ permission.

Printing gift copies of poems, reprinting children’s stories in your newsletter, or printing personal stationery with a pretty design all seem innocent enough until you realize that you are using someone else’s property—like driving their car without their permission.

So does that mean that no one can use anything he hasn’t designed himself? No. Fortunately, most creative people are happy to give permission for their work to be used in return for a credit line, a free copy, a small royalty payment, or a receipt from one’s treasurer listing the value of the design as a contributed expense (which can be deducted from one’s taxes).

To obtain someone’s permission, however, you must first find him or her. This may not be as difficult as it seems.

ANYTHING that is distributed outside of a local area should have gone through the Special Materials Review Committee at the National Center, and they would know its originator. The Bahá’í Publishing Trust and Office of Public Affairs also know the sources of many Bahá’í-related materials.

Locally produced materials usually go through a Spiritual Assembly or a Media Committee. As a last (or perhaps first) resort, one can always ask one of those wise veteran Bahá’ís who always seem to know almost everything about everything.

The Bahá’í community is still quite small, so unless the material you wish to use is very old or very new, chances are you’ll find the creator relatively quickly.

Remember, a few telephone calls before you “borrow” a design, song or other creative work are not only expressions of courtesy and respect, they can also save you time, money and potential embarrassment.

J.F. Strain Pocatello, Idaho

To the Editor:

I was interested to read in The American Bahá’í (July) of the opportunity Kimberlee Benart had through writing checks to the Fund to meet a bank teller who was interested in the Faith.

Only yesterday I took some Bahá’í literature to my bank to give to a teller who had expressed an interest in the Faith after having seen checks to the Bahá’í Fund.

In the meantime, this teller had been transferred to another branch so I was able to give the material to another bank worker who eagerly began to read it, saying she would forward it to the teller.

This worker, it turns out, had also noticed Bahá’í Fund checks! Might this be yet another reason for giving regularly to the Fund?

Tim Schaftter Aranyaprathet, Thailand

To the Editor:

On July 6, my son, Jason Hooker, participated in the FUND Run at the Youth Conference in Columbus, Ohio.

My husband, Ervin Milton, and I each pledged $1 per lap. Three other members of our community also pledged $1 a lap.

Each of us thought a lap must be a quarter-mile, and since my son has never run further than around the bases of a baseball field, he estimated he could probably run two or three miles.

We were “safe,” right? Wrong.

Laps were one-eighth of a mile, not one-quarter. And with the help of a few friends cheering him on to run “just one more lap,” Jason managed to run 10 and one-half miles, or 85 laps.

That translates to $85 for each person who signed his pledge. We are still in shock, especially our family, which now owes $170.

Our son, however, is gleeful, and now refers to us as his “victims.”

Jason Hooker’s victims have decided that the “installment plan” will have to be instituted in this case to meet the commitment. Therefore, please find enclosed three checks: Jeanine Gunasekeran ($20 of $85), James Mercer ($18 of $85), and Merrie Hooker and Ervin Milton ($70 of $170).

My husband and I are chuckling (sort of) about the whole episode. I’ve told him to accept all overtime offered, and he has told me to get busy stenciling T-shirts for sale with my own unique “Mankind Is One” design. It’s a challenge to us.

However, in the future I think it would be more fair if pledge sheets for FUND Runs stated how far a lap is. We don’t want to lose our Bahá’í friends.

In the meantime, I’ll make plans to tie my son’s legs together at the knees for the next FUND Run. Anyone want to buy a unique T-shirt that says “Mankind Is One” for only $10?

With tongue in cheek and hand in pocketbook,

Merrie L. Hooker Oak Park, Michigan

To the Editor:

The non-political character of the Bahá’í Faith seems to demand that we know a little something about the topic, if it is to be avoided.

UNTIL the overhaul in 1970 of federal campaign finance laws, political parties in the U.S. were those listed on ballots where candidates ran for public office as a party choice.

Since the passage of the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) in the early ’70s, a proliferation of special interest groups and organized political action committees has occurred.

Corporate Political Action Committees (PACs) multiplied early on. Litigation determined that unions could have PACs, and

See LETTERS Page 27

An Introduction to Shi’i Islam

by Moojan Momen

A valuable and important book for Bahá’ís. It provides the religious, cultural and social background to the Bahá’í Revelation. It also deals with matters of specific interest to Bahá’ís—the Twelfth Imam, the mystical tradition of Persia, and many others. 420 pages plus 68 illustrations.

Hardcover $25.00 Softcover $15.00

Order through your local librarian, or send check or money order including 10% for postage and handling, minimum $1.50 to:

Bahá’í Distribution Service 415 LINDEN AVENUE, WILMETTE, IL 60091 [Page 4]

the Champion builders

RUTH RANDALL BROWN

When ‘Abdu’l-Bahá visited America in 1912, Ruth Randall lay in bed in her home in Medford, Massachusetts, with what her doctors felt was an incurable illness.

HER husband, William Henry Randall, a deeply spiritual man, appealed to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to come to their home and heal his wife.

Moved by Mr. Randall’s request, the Master came to Ruth’s side. He took her hand, looked into her eyes, and said, “You are not sick. You are the healthiest person here,” repeating His words three times.

From that moment began not only her recovery, but a whole new life. Ruth and her husband became ardent followers of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and eagerly spread the word of the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh.

After regaining her health and becoming a Bahá’í, Ruth devoted her many and varied talents to the service of the Faith. A gifted musician with an exquisite singing voice, she was also a writer and public speaker.

In 1919, at the invitation of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, she and her husband and their daughter, Margaret, made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

Many wonderful memories of the time spent in the presence of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá were recorded in their pilgrims’ notes and published upon their return in a book, The Light of the World, which offers many precious glimpses of the Master.

FOR example, on page 27: “(He) sat there before us, at times silent, but when He spoke, every word vibrated with power. As He talked of world conditions, His irresistible logic, the splendor of His universal mind, were a continual astonishment.

“As He paused, told a humorous story, laughed about Fugita, heaped more food on Margaret’s plate, His great love set all our hearts in uproar.

“It is not the Master’s human See BROWN Page 13

Conventions

Continued From Page 1

(about 3 by 5 inches), print the name(s) of the person(s) for whom you wish to vote. Vote for the exact number of delegates allotted to your district, since voting for a greater or lesser number will invalidate the ballot.

• Place your ballot in a plain white envelope and seal it. Do not mark this envelope in any way. Then place the sealed envelope in a larger envelope, write your name in the return address area on the outer envelope, and mail it to the person in your district who is to receive ballots by mail.

Any Bahá’í in good standing who is at least 21 years of age and who is a resident of your electoral district is eligible to vote and be voted for as a delegate to the National Convention.

The only exceptions to this are the Hands of the Cause of God and members of the Board of Counsellors who are exempt from administrative duties.

Auxiliary Board members are eligible for election as delegates. However, if an Auxiliary Board member is elected, he must decide between accepting that administrative responsibility and retaining his membership on the Auxiliary Board.

Please bear in mind the following instruction of the Guardian concerning the attitude to be adopted in electing representatives of the Faith:

“IT IS incumbent ... to consider without the least trace of passion, prejudice, and irrespective of any material consideration, the names of only those who can best combine the necessary qualities of unquestioned loyalty, of selfless devotion, of a well-trained mind, of recognized ability and mature experience.” (Bahá’í Administration, p. 87)

The Conventions are being planned by District Electoral Committees that were appointed in the spring. These committees were first appointed last year to enable the District Teaching Committees to focus more of their time and energy on teaching.

If the enthusiasm and hard work of the District Electoral Committees is any indication, the Conventions are sure to be exciting and productive.

Registration normally begins at 9 a.m. Please try to attend.

More than 300 hear 8-year-old Bahá’í in violin recital

Mesbah Motamed, a member of the Bahá’í community of Corpus Christi, Texas, who celebrated his eighth birthday in June, was the featured performer in a recent violin recital at Del Mar College’s Wolfe Recital Hall.

A near-capacity audience of more than 300 heard the young virtuoso play works by Corelli, Vivaldi, Schubert, Brahms and Fiocco.

Musicians and music patrons stayed afterward to congratulate Mesbah and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Motamed, on a truly remarkable program, one that was filmed by crews from all three local television stations.

In June, Mesbah, accompanied by his violin teacher, Mrs. Virginia DiRusso, attended a musicians’ seminar in Cincinnati, Ohio, with top musicians from the U.S. and other countries.

“He has the most powerful combination of abilities I’ve seen in a pupil,” Mrs. DiRusso says of the second grader who has been playing the violin since 1982. “You know, it’s always dangerous to call someone a prodigy, but I would call him prodigious.”

In addition to his recent recital, Mesbah was featured soloist last November and again in April with the Del Mar College orchestra.

Reapportionment affects 18 districts

As you prepare to vote at the District Convention this year, be sure to check the number of delegates for whom you’ll be voting, as a reapportionment of delegates has changed the number allotted to many districts. In all, 18 districts were affected by the reapportionment.

A reapportionment is needed from time to time to reflect changes in the Bahá’í population across the country. As the Bahá’í population in a district grows relative to the Bahá’í population elsewhere in the country, the number of delegates it is allotted is increased.

Reapportionment was essential this year because of the division of the Southern Virginia district into Southeastern and Southwestern Virginia. In the future, reapportionment will be done each year, based on spring membership figures.

Districts losing a delegate this year are Arkansas, Northeastern Colorado, Connecticut, Southwestern Florida, Indiana, Southern Louisiana, Western Oklahoma, Eastern Pennsylvania, and Central Texas No. 1.

Those gaining a delegate are Southern California No. 1, Northwestern Georgia, Western North Carolina, Eastern New York, Western Oregon, Eastern South Carolina No. 1, Eastern South Carolina No. 2, South Dakota, and Eastern Texas No. 1.

The number of delegates allotted to each district is listed on Pages 18 and 26.

Tabarsi

Continued From Page 1

of the Faith.

The course of study emphasizes “acts of service” that include such things as teaching, conducting children’s classes, and deepening newly enrolled adult believers and fellow youth in that community.

THESE same courses, as well as weekend institutes, will soon be offered to new declarants who are identified by the teachers as having a special capacity for service.

Each new believer is asked upon his declaration to pray and teach. He is told that Bahá’u’lláh has asked this of each of His followers, and that we are all helping through such actions to build the Kingdom of God on earth.

The Creative Word is given to the new declarant by his receiving a copy of God’s New Age, the packet sent by the National Teaching Committee, and the Bahá’í DayBook, which has been given to some of the youth who have enrolled.

Media use has been quite good so far, thanks in part to the presence in South Carolina during July of the Los Angeles Bahá’í Youth Workshop whose members performed before many large and appreciative audiences (see articles on Pages 11, 13).

The Workshop’s outstanding success in attracting large numbers of people to hear of the Faith has spawned the idea of musical deepenings for the masses which are to be incorporated into the over-all strategy of Project Tabarsi.

Police in most communities have been contacted and given Bahá’í press kits, while libraries have been presented with Bahá’í books.

SOME follow-up meetings have been held—Feasts in Kingstree and Florence, slide presentations in Kingstree and Hemingway—and some children’s classes have been held as a part of the teaching.

The Los Angeles Bahá’í Youth Workshop uses comedy to make a point during its teaching swing through South Carolina in July. The young people drew large audiences wherever they appeared.

Also, postcards have been sent from the Louis Gregory Institute to new believers by those who taught them.

Teacher training is an integral part of the project. Each of the volunteers is asked to read “A Special Measure of Love,” and half-hour deepenings are held each morning after prayers.

The new believers are allowed to serve immediately after enrollment in such areas as teaching, choosing sites for meetings, advising, bringing food, etc.

In addition, all of them have been placed on the mailing list to receive the Regional Teaching Office’s bulletin.

All District Teaching Committees in the state have now asked to be a part of Project Tabarsi. All have requested teachers to augment local efforts, and several have sent teachers to the Project to gain insight and momentum.

Teaching events are being held in those institutions in a community that constitute the heart of the community, such as clubs, community centers and churches.

Key individuals in each town are noted on enrollment cards, and plans are made to intensify deepening work with them through use of the Ruhi Institute and WE Institutes at the Gregory Institute and their home communities.

Several volunteers have carried the spirit of Tabarsi to their home states and are giving energy to a variety of efforts in North Carolina, Georgia, Massachusetts, Washington, D.C., and other areas.

Project Tabarsi is showing again that the spiritually attuned people of South Carolina are receptive to the healing Message of Bahá’u’lláh, that they are eager to enlist under His Banner, and that they want, in their turn, to serve at His sacred Threshold.

You are invited to offer your help in Project Tabarsi to vindicate the promise of the Báb:

“You are the lowly, of whom God hath thus spoken in His Book: ‘And We desire to show favour to those who were brought low in the land, and to make them spiritual leaders among men, and to make them Our heirs ...’” [Page 5]

Pioneers lay foundation of new World Order

This article, “Horizons of Service,” was written by Dr. Robert Morrow, a member of the International Goals Committee.

“Now is the time when every follower of Bahá’u’lláh must cling fast to the Covenant of God, resist every temptation to become embroiled in the conflicts of the world, and remember that he is the holder of a precious trust, the Message of God in this day which, alone, can banish injustice from the world and cure the ills afflicting the body and spirit of man.”

“WE ARE the bearers of the Word of God in this day and, however dark the immediate horizons, we must go forward rejoicing in the knowledge that the work we are privileged to perform is God’s work and will bring to birth a world whose splendor will outshine our brightest visions and surpass our highest hopes.”—The Universal House of Justice, Naw-Rúz 1979, to the Bahá’ís of the world.

We American Bahá’ís live in a society that is ever more fast-paced and today-oriented.

One of the most profound differences between us and our fellow Americans is that our attention is frequently directed toward the future. We are frequently reminded that today we Bahá’ís are laying the foundation for an entirely new world to come.

On the “dark immediate horizon” are calamitous events that we are reassured are a part of the Plan of God.

Shoghi Effendi has foretold a “momentous and possibly catastrophic chain of events” that will “suddenly revolutionize the fortunes of the Faith, derange the equilibrium of the world, and reduce a thousandfold the numerical strength as well as the material power and spiritual authority of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh.” (Citadel of Faith, p. 117)

Would we rather see the Faith continue the way it is today in our local community or be “reinforced a thousandfold”? Already the Faith is “emerging from obscurity” and this will forever change its nature.

WE BAHÁ’ÍS know only the broadest outline of the changes that are to occur. The Central Figures of the Faith did not give us specific predictions of what events would take place in what years. We do not know the full Plan of God.

We do know that we as individual Bahá’ís are not helpless bystanders witnessing a tidal wave of changes sweeping the globe. We are important to the future of mankind.

The House of Justice affirms that “upon our efforts depends in very large measure the fate of humanity,” and “Bahá’ís have a great part to play—greater than they may realize—in the healing of these sicknesses (afflicting ‎the mankind mankind‎) and the abatement of their worst effects.” (Quickeners of Mankind, p. 9)

Consider again the phrase “greater than they may realize” and look once again toward the future.

It uplifts us all to look toward the farther horizon and catch a glimpse of the Golden Age of the maturity of mankind. That vision creates a desire to arise and become a part of the surging ocean of Bahá’u’lláh’s healing Faith.

From the earliest days, individuals have left their homes to promote this Message. In an ever-increasing swell, they have gone forth until now only a very few corners of the earth remain unopened to the Faith. We must continue to go even further.

DID YOU realize that the earth has not yet been entirely opened to the Cause of God? Even in your own locality there are neighboring towns as yet unopened.

Clearly, we are in the earliest stages of our development as a world Faith and a new civilization.

The need for pioneers is great and will continue for many years to come. Over the past decades the world into which pioneers disperse has been changing rapidly.

“Development” is the catch word of the day. It has recently become commonplace to refer to the “developed” and “less developed” countries, or even to the “Third World.”

This is misleading because as Bahá’ís we know there is only one world which in its entirety (including the U.S.) is spiritually under-developed. As Bahá’ís we are leaders in the true “development” process of the century, wherever we may live.

Involvement in material development has always been part of being a Bahá’í. Not only did ‘Abdu’l-Bahá safeguard the Covenant and teach continuously, He also served and fed the people of ‘Akká (most of whom never became Bahá’ís).

Bahá’u’lláh Himself promoted the material development of the place in which He resided when He caused the aqueduct to be repaired to bring clean water to the city of ‘Akká.

LET US as Bahá’ís help improve the material well-being of our neighbors and all of mankind as we teach and enroll new believers. Let us not commit the injustice of following conversion with neglect in our enthusiasm to seek out and enroll new Bahá’ís.

The changes in the world’s political, social and economic condition and our growing maturity are leading to the emergence of a new kind of pioneer—one who is well-prepared to serve materially as well as spiritually.

Over the past few years, the International Goals Committee has devoted much time and consultation to this exciting new focus in pioneering and to the new types of service that will be successful in the future.

This is the horizon of pioneering, firmly based on fundamental spiritual prerequisites and individual initiative, and greatly extending our service as Bahá’ís to mankind.

Therefore, beloved co-workers, we invite you to explore with the committee the implications of these developments and changes. Let us keep our eyes on the future as we arise to fulfill our part in God’s plan of salvation.

We welcome your ideas and plans. You might devote one period of consultation at a Feast to this important topic and send the results to the secretary of the International Goals Committee.

We, in turn, will share our thoughts with you on this page in future issues, The American Bahá’í and at conferences, conventions, and summer and winter schools.

U.S. PIONEER GOALS

AFRICA
(F) Mauritania	2
(E) Nigeria	1
(E) Tanzania	1
AMERICAS
(S) *Argentina	2
(S) Chile, Easter Island	1
(S) Colombia	1
(E) Dominica	2
(S) Ecuador, Galapagos Is.	1
(F) *French Guiana	2
ASIA
(E) India	1
(E) Nepal	1
AUSTRALASIA
(E) Caroline Is.-Kosrae	1
(E) Marshall Islands	1
(E) Tuvalu	2
(E) Yap (for Malaysia)	2
EUROPE
(E) Ireland	2
TOTAL TO BE FILLED	23
Language key: E—English F—French S—Spanish *Replacement goals

Perseverance, education pay dividends as pioneer reaches goal after 17 years

How many of you ever attended a conference and were swept up in the surge of excitement and left with a desire to leave the country and pioneer anywhere, right away, for the Cause of God?

SUCH was the case when a young, eager Jim Stutzer came to the International Goals Committee office in 1968, on fire with the desire to serve the Cause internationally as a pioneer.

Jim had some training as a nurse and was encouraged to continue in that field, gaining experience as a medical technician if at all possible.

Over the next six years many letters were exchanged regarding pioneering, focusing much attention on Jim’s attaining the educational or vocational training with which to support himself overseas.

In 1975, Jim informed us that he would be completing his master’s degree in theatre and was prepared, once again, to pioneer.

The job market looked bleak, but the need for teachers at that time was great. Through consultation with his pioneer consultant, Jim chose to get his certification in elementary education and to gain some teaching experience.

After six years’ experience teaching second grade, Jim wrote to the International Goals Committee again. We sent him information about agencies that hire teachers for overseas positions and a list of pioneer goal countries.

JIM attended a Job Fair for teachers at Northern Iowa University at which more than 80 foreign countries were represented. Armed with the goals list, he interviewed with representatives of various countries and left with three offers of employment.

Not wishing to accept a job too quickly, Jim then attended a second job fair in Cleveland and secured a teaching position in Tanzania, a goal country in which jobs are quite scarce.

During the interview, the school administrator mentioned to Jim that he never hires anyone on the spot. As it turned out, not only did Jim get the job at an excellent salary, but the school is paying for his move to Tanzania!

Jim left the U.S. on August 15 and after two days in London, arrived in Tanzania on Saturday, August 17.

See PIONEER Page 27

Pictured are 25 participants in a Pioneer Training Institute held July 18-21 at the Bahá’í National Center in Wilmette, Illinois. With them are the Hand of the Cause of God Zikrullah Khadem (second from left in front row) and some staff members of the International Goals Committee as well as a visiting pioneer from El Salvador. The participants planned to pioneer to Jamaica, Nepal, Yap, India, Tanzania, Ireland, Dominica, Thailand, Japan, Rota, Yucatán, Bolivia, Taiwan, Korea and Costa Rica.

Youth ‘moving the world’ means youth moving around in the world, and these two young pioneers are doing just that. Lisa Dobbert (left) is in India attending the New Era Bahá’í School in Panchgani while Jane Wilson is in Costa Rica learning the language of that country so she can start high school there in January. These two young women, both of whom attended the Pioneer Training Institute in July, are splendid examples of the energy and dedication of Bahá’í youth in serving the Cause through their efforts toward world citizenship. [Page 6]

YOUTH NEWS

Bahá’í youth named outstanding freshman at Mississippi college

CLAUDE GARMON JR.

Claude Garmon Jr., a member of the Bahá’í community of Gulfport, Mississippi, has been elected president of Alpha Lambda Delta, a freshman honor society, and named Most Outstanding Freshman Male at the University of Southern Mississippi.

Mr. Garmon, who is majoring in computer sciences, is a member of the University Activities Council, the Associated Student Body Cabinet, Phi Eta Sigma honor society, Rho Gamma (yearbook fraternity), and the Honor Society of America.

He is also the freshman representative to the USM Honors Council, which helps administer the activities of the honors college.

His selection as Most Outstanding Freshman Male was based on scholarship, athletics, and social and service activities.

Mr. Garmon is the son of Claude Garmon Sr. of Greenbelt, Maryland, and Augusta Garmon of Gulfport.

Fourth annual youth pilgrimage slated

The National Youth Committee is sponsoring its fourth annual youth group pilgrimage program.

Eighteen youth teaching projecteers will be invited to participate during the summer of 1986 in a special youth group pilgrimage.

Applications can be obtained through the Youth Committee office until October 31, 1985, and are due back in the office by November 15.

The cost is estimated at between $2,000 and $3,000 depending on where one goes travel teaching. Members of minority groups are especially needed.

Write for your application today—National Youth Committee, 1371 Sunset Strip, Sunrise, FL 33313.

Excitement builds as ‘Mona’ nears U.S. release

The excitement is building, and the anticipation is almost painful! Something special is about to happen, and everyone is gearing up for action!

WHAT’S all the fuss about? “Mona with the Children,” a recording by Canadian Bahá’í singer/composer Doug Cameron, has been set for U.S. release in September along with a music video depicting the arrest, persecution and murder of young Mona Mahmudnizhad, a Bahá’í youth who was, at age 17, the youngest of 10 Bahá’í women hanged in June 1983 in Shiraz.

The single and video, which were released in Canada in early July, have been met with a high level of interest in that country by both the public and the media, and the results can be seen in the number of new believers entering the Faith in Canada.

What kind of response can we expect in the U.S.? And how can we prepare for what may be a widespread and potentially short-lived opportunity to teach the Faith by telling Mona’s story?

These questions have been addressed by a special task force appointed by the National Spiritual Assembly and composed of members of the Office of the Secretary, the Office of Public Affairs, the National Teaching Committee and National Youth Committee.

Together they have prepared a variety of materials to help the Bahá’ís utilize “Mona with the Children” as a tool for teaching and proclamation.

THE NATIONAL Youth Committee has sent a packet of materials to all Regional Youth Committees and District Youth Committees in this country. These materials address many of the questions posed by the friends about the promotion of “Mona,” both to individuals and the media.

In addition, a special video tape has been prepared that gives further details on using Mona’s story as a means of attracting interested people to investigate the Faith.

The video tape, made at the International Youth Conference, features Doug Cameron; Jack Lenz, the producer of the song and music video; Ruhiyyih Jahan-pour, a cellmate of Mona’s who later escaped from Iran; and several youth from the U.S.

The music video is also included in the instructional tape.

Regional Youth Committees received the tape early in September and are charged with circulating it to youth groups and committees all over the country.

The youth will then gather in “Mona meetings” to view the tape, review the written materials and the plan for action.

More news of the “Mona” record and music video can be found on Pages 1 and 14.

INITIAL plans have also been made for a concert tour to feature Doug Cameron.

The National Youth Committee hopes to schedule the tour in October and expects that Bahá’í College Clubs in large metropolitan areas will be its focal point.

Details will be announced in the next issue of “Youth Hotline” as well as through direct communication with the friends in the areas of the tour.

Imagine having your friends approach you about the Faith because they had heard a song about a Bahá’í on the radio or seen a video on MTV that depicted the heroism of a Bahá’í youth in Iran!

9 youth begin ‘Year of Service’ in Cali, Colombia, field project

Nine participants in a pilot “Youth Year of Service” project left Miami, Florida, September 5 for Cali, Colombia, where they’ll be studying for three months at the Ruhi Institute before being assigned to field projects in Colombia, Bolivia, Panama or Paraguay.

Under the watchful eye of the Office of Social and Economic Development at the World Centre, teams of youth will be training teachers of tutorial schools, working with local Spiritual Assemblies and the parents of the schools’ children, and setting up youth groups in villages throughout these four countries.

Chosen to serve in this exciting program—the first of its kind—are Howard Abbas Banks, Waco, Texas; Alex Blake, Hadley, Massachusetts; Alex Carlberg, Los Gatos, California; Laura Clayton, Lakewood, Colorado; Nicole Ewing, Santa Fe, New Mexico; Thomas Haanen, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin; Yvonne Kraus, Florence, South Carolina; Scott Pfleuger, Hadley, Massachusetts; and Amy Schechter, La Mesa, California.

The Youth Year of Service program, begun in this final phase of the Seven Year Plan, is expected to grow quickly. New opportunities are being developed, and possibilities for service now exist in Haiti, Guyana, St. Lucia, Africa and the U.S.

Those youth and pre-youth who wish to plan to give a year in service to the Faith in the future should study a foreign language—French or Spanish, in particular—and save their money.

A typical year in a foreign country will cost between $2,000 and $3,000. Youth who wish to apply or to receive more information should contact the National Youth Committee or the International Goals Committee.

20 youth take part in service project in Washington NW

Up to 20 youth in Washington Northwest took part in a recent district-wide week-long service and teaching project sponsored by the Bahá’í community of Seattle.

The youth visited the Bahá’í communities in Bellingham, Mount Vernon, Sedro Woolley, Anacortes, Lynnwood and Everett, spending their days doing service work such as cleaning parks, holding car washes with proceeds donated to local food banks, distributing food to the food banks, or building playground equipment at a housing project.

In the evening, the young people participated in and spoke at public meetings, held dances or went to the movies.

At the Hispanic housing project where the Bahá’í youth built playground equipment, they were at first regarded with suspicion.

By the end of the day they had organized a baseball game for the children and almost everyone in the complex was either helping them, playing baseball or watching from the sidelines.

Ky. youth help Fund with bumper stickers

Members of the Kentucky Bahá’í Youth Club raised money for the National Fund while proclaiming the Faith at the Bahá’í International Youth Conference in Columbus, Ohio.

The club designed and sold bumper stickers with the message “Youth Can Move the World.”

With the help of two young girls from Canada, 6-year-old Negin Razi and 8-year-old Atossa Samandari, who together sold more than 140 stickers, the club’s entire supply of 1,025 was sold with proceeds of about $225 for the National Fund.

Bahá’í youth honored

Mary Godar, a Bahá’í youth from Chicago, was honored recently during ceremonies at Amundsen High School for her leadership as senior class president and for her scholarship as winner of the Sulzer Foundation Scholarship.

Christopher Nelson Hampton

Christopher Nelson Hampton, a Bahá’í youth from Carrollton, Georgia, has been accepted by the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City, many of whose alumni are working on Broadway and in films or television. Christopher, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen N. Hampton, was one of a large number of young people from 28 states who auditioned for the Academy in New York City, Los Angeles and Dallas, Texas. At the New York audition, he was required to perform a monologue from a published play and to sing a song from a Broadway musical. He’ll leave for New York in the fall and attend the Academy for two years.

Service Project in Oregon

Bahá’í children and youth (and some moms!) from the Pendleton and Umatilla Indian Reservations in eastern Oregon spent a recent summer day (about 105 degrees) washing cars with proceeds going to medical relief teams for Ethiopia. The project was the idea of 10-year-old Joshua Storey. The friends ended the day with a barbecue and inner tube rafting at a local park. [Page 7]

Most of Seven Year Plan goals for youth have been won

How are we doing? As we approach the remaining months of the Seven Year Plan, it’s a good time to take stock of how we are doing with respect to the goals of the National Youth Plan.

THE BAHÁ’Í National Youth Committee is pleased to announce that most of the goals assigned to the youth have been won!

The first goal, that of a vast increase in enrollments, has received a heartwarming response as hundreds of Bahá’í youth gave their time and talents in support of the many teaching projects held across the country this summer.

Reports from Project Tabarsi in South Carolina bring the joyous news that more than 1,500 Bahá’ís have been enrolled in that state, while the Lowell Project in Massachusetts, aimed primarily at those of Asian descent, boasts a healthy 25 new Bahá’ís.

Projecteers at the Navajo-Hopi and Wanblee Reservations have recounted many exciting victories as well. All of these activities will surely lead to a vast increase in enrollments.

The second goal outlined in the National Youth Plan calls for 20 youth to arise as international pioneers with a minimum stay of one year at a foreign post. As of mid-summer, this goal has been won and exceeded!

Victory has also been firmly established in the goal for international youth traveling teachers which called for 50 youth to travel and teach in overseas locations. The goal was met in early August.

A NEW category was added to make this sacrifice; to date, 15 have arisen.

Nineteen youth are being asked to make this sacrifice; to date, 15 have arisen.

“This is seen as a significant victory,” says Duane Omid-Varan, a member of the National Youth Committee. “These youth are arising in direct response to the letter of January 3, 1984, from the Universal House of Justice which called on the youth of the world to volunteer a set period of time for service in the teaching and development field.

“Nine of the youth who have been counted toward the goal have been chosen to work with the Ruhí Project in South America, a social and economic development project under the supervision of the National Spiritual Assembly of Colombia and endorsed by the Universal House of Justice.

“The youth who participate in the year of service are really breaking new ground.”

The year of service differs from pioneering in that volunteers for the year of service work full-time in their assigned area of responsibility whereas pioneers can often combine education or employment with their service.

Homefront pioneering is the final quantitative goal of the National Youth Plan, one that must be successfully achieved by Ridvan 1986. To date, 23 youth have settled in homefront goal areas, and it is expected that many more youth will be attending colleges in goal areas this fall.

“We look forward,” says Mr. Omid-Varan, “to reporting complete victory in the near future as the committee begins its consultation on the goals for the next Plan.

“The youth of the United States have shown that they can meet almost any challenge set before them.”

NATIONAL YOUTH PLAN

Third Phase of the Seven Year Plan Ridvan 1984-1986

Goal	Status/Progress	Target
Enrollments	Vast Increase	—
International Pioneers	WON!	20
International Teachers	WON!	50
Year Of Service Projecteers	15	19
Homefront Pioneers	23	40
As of 8/85

Smith College students Kendra Hatfield (left) and Jacqueline Eghrari are pictured at the tree-planting ceremony sponsored by the Smith College Bahá’í Club.

Bahá’í youth continue tree plantings as number rises above goal of 20,000

The International Year of Youth is drawing to a close, having been successfully observed by Bahá’í youth clubs, committees, Assemblies and individuals nationwide.

Besides the wonderful International Youth Conference at Ohio State University in July, the major Bahá’í activity of the year was the observance of the United Nations tree-planting project.

A goal of 20,000 trees to be planted nationwide was surpassed before July 1 with the symbolic 20,000th tree planted on the Ohio State campus during the conference.

Interesting teaching opportunities accompanied many of the tree-planting projects such as the one at Smith College planned in conjunction with Parents’ Week-end at which the president of the university spoke about International Youth Year, the value of trees, and the wonderful efforts of the campus Bahá’í Club.

In Kansas City, Missouri, the “Fire from Within” teaching group planted a tree at a city park with gold-plated shovels provided by the park service. The ceremony was filmed by a local television station.

A final count won’t be made until January 1986, so if you know of trees planted in commemoration of IYY, please notify the National Youth Committee, 1371 Sunset Strip, Sunrise, FL 33313, or phone 305-584-1844.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to report to the Universal House of Justice that 25,000 or 30,000 trees had been planted?

17 youth still needed as homefront pioneers

Youth homefront pioneers are needed to complete our youth goals for this phase of the Seven Year Plan—17 to be exact.

A youth homefront pioneer is defined as follows:

One who settles in an area with the intention of remaining there until specific teaching/consolidation goals are achieved.

The goals for this phase of the Plan are: 1. Settle in an area without an Assembly (an unopened area, one with few Bahá’ís, or one that needs consolidation work). 2. Move to a state with a low Bahá’í population (as designated by the National Youth Committee). 3. Attend a college without a Bahá’í Club with the intention of teaching and forming a club. 4. Attend a college where the Bahá’í Club is in jeopardy. 5. Attend a goal college (designated by the National Youth Committee) with the intention of teaching the resident minority population.

If you fit any of these categories, contact the Youth Office right away. Homefront pioneering isn’t easy, but there are many rewards:

“The pioneers themselves must realize that not only are they fulfilling the wishes of Bahá’u’lláh and doing that which the Master Himself said He longed to do ... but they are enhancing the prestige of the Faith to a remarkable degree in the eyes of the public, and especially in the eyes of officials.” (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to the U.S. National Spiritual Assembly, June 20, 1954, and printed in Bahá’í News, No. 283, p. 1, September 1954).

‘Indispensable medium for growth’ National Bahá’í Fund Wilmette, IL 60091

Two big conferences set for December

It’s that time of year again ... time to begin making plans for the annual Youth Conference at Disney World.

This year, however, there’s an added bounty ... not only will hundreds of Bahá’ís, young and old alike, travel to Orlando, Florida, for the conference in December, but folks west of the Mississippi will have an opportunity to attend a “sister conference” in Phoenix, Arizona.

The Grand Canyon Conference, planned by the youth in the Phoenix area, will be held December 27-30 while the eastern version, at Disney World, will be held December 27-31. Both conferences are sponsored by the National Youth Committee, the folks who brought you the triple conference at Ohio State University this summer!

More details will be published in the “Youth Hotline” and in next month’s issue of The American Bahá’í ... but for now, be sure to reserve these dates and start thinking about which conference you plan to attend! [Page 8]

EDUCATION

• Assembly Development Program
• Bahá’í Schools
• Brilliant Star (Child’s Way) Magazine
• Local Education Adviser Program
• Personal Transformation Program

Legal profession to be focus of Louhelen conference

“Bahá’ís and the Legal Profession,” a conference that is expected to result in the first organization of Bahá’í lawyers and jurists, is set for the weekend of January 10-12, 1986, at the Louhelen Bahá’í School in Davison, Michigan.

TWO members of the National Spiritual Assembly, Judge Dorothy W. Nelson and Judge James F. Nelson, have agreed to speak at the conference, which is being planned by a task force of the Louhelen Bahá’í School Council.

The task force recently sent notice of the conference to Bahá’ís who are members of the legal profession in the U.S. and are known to the task force.

While the task force would especially like to contact Bahá’ís in the legal profession to inform them of the conference, the event is not limited to those in that profession. Anyone who is interested is invited to attend.

The task force, which is composed of two practicing attorneys and one community college instructor, is preparing the conference program.

The agenda presently has three major topic areas for consideration. The chief goal is to consult about organizing an association of Bahá’í judges, lawyers, paralegals and others interested in the legal profession.

Discussions will center on the goals of such an organization, the scope of membership, its name, and the drafting and possible approval of a charter to recommend to the National Assembly for its approval.

A SECOND broad topic will involve discussion of interaction between Bahá’ís interested in jurisprudence and other Bahá’ís.

Consultation will include improving communication among Bahá’ís in the legal profession and identifying service opportunities for Bahá’í legal professionals in connection with Bahá’í institutions.

The final purpose concerns those issues that arise in the course of interaction between the non-Bahá’í society and Bahá’ís who are interested in the legal profession.

Conflicts between professional responsibilities and the Bahá’í teachings, non-political improvements in the American legal system consistent with the Faith, and responsibilities in protecting Bahá’ís and the Faith will be considered.

The task force is actively seeking suggestions for the agenda, and may be contacted by writing or telephoning either of two members:

Ted Amsden, Mt. Clemens, MI 48043 (office, 313-568-6554; home, 313-468-2423), or Steven Gonzales, East Lansing, MI 48823 (office, 517-887-2828; home, 517-351-1415).

The base rate for the conference is $49 for adults for a room with 2-3 others. A double or single room, space permitting, costs more.

Shuttle service from Detroit and Flint airports can be arranged for a fee. A program will be provided for children ages 0-4 years.

To register, send a $10 non-refundable deposit to the Louhelen Bahá’í School, 3208 S. State Road, Davison, MI 48423, or phone 313-653-5033. VISA and MasterCard are accepted.

Better children’s literature main goal as Louhelen hosts Writers’ Conference

Those attending the writers’ conference sponsored in June at the Louhelen Bahá’í School by Brilliant Star magazine included (back row left to right) Janice ‎Finely Finley‎, Christine McNett, Sandra Bebertz, Susan Engle, Betty Morris, Anne Atkinson, Debbie Bley, and (front row left to right) Janet Richards, Rita Leydon, Mimi McClellan, Janet Bixby, Mary K. Radpour. Also attending was photographer Keith Boehme.

Thirteen writers from various parts of the country gathered the weekend of June 14-16 at the Louhelen Bahá’í School in Michigan for a writers’ conference sponsored by the editorial board of Brilliant Star, the Bahá’í children’s magazine published by the National Spiritual Assembly.

The conference opened Friday evening with each participant sharing his or her favorite children’s literature through dramatic readings.

Saturday included a history of Child’s Way and Brilliant Star, talks about the marriage of text and illustration, how to get published, plot and characterization, and a special session on “The Developmental Needs of Children and Literature” presented by Beth and Bluey Diehl.

After dinner, the writers shared their own manuscripts.

Sunday morning, Dr. Richard Thomas of Michigan State University spoke on “Being Sensitive to Racism and Sexism in Children’s Literature.”

After lunch, the participants returned to their homes in Illinois, Virginia, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky and New Jersey.

One writer was so inspired by the conference that she wrote all the way home on the train.

Another said in a thank-you note, “It was an honor to be able to attend this conference and to watch Brilliant Star attain new heights of growth and service. Thank you for all your work on behalf of the Bahá’í community, its children and families.”

Brilliant Star welcomes writers of all ages. A theme list can be obtained by writing to the editor, Debbie Bley, Suburban Office Park, 5010 Austin Road, Hixson, TN 37343.

Brilliant Star seeks addresses of subscribers

The following subscribers to Brilliant Star magazine have addresses unknown. All have had at least one magazine returned.

The editors of Brilliant Star would like to contact these subscribers. If you are listed, or know the address of anyone who is, please write to Brilliant Star, Suburban Office Park, 5010 Austin Road, Hixson, TN 37343.

Toni and Kezia Pine; Mary Wylie-Kamalabadi; Bahá’ís of Keene; Shalet Way; Spiritual Assembly of Hempstead Town; Nicole Raftery; the Warren Plymale family; Jessica Borelli.

Michael W. Orr; Rory and Lisanne Shaffer; Coleen DeHart; Shanto Heath; Jason and Nicky Gant; Valrico Effie Daher; the Hartford children; Trudy Huffman; Bayan Stevens.

Bronwyn O’Rourke; Summer Staniszweski; Donald Gerard III; Benjamin Sayre; Eva Janey; Karen R. Whisenhunt; Kamtar and Marjan Jabbari; Arya Czerniejewski.

Melissa Macharia; Perla Talebi; Sheryl McDonnell; Rachel and Jackson Wilson; Joshua Ferrarini; Rachel Fanska; June C. Thomason; Jason and Lua Rafalak.

Assembly of State College; John Dale; Jeannine and Danielle Oliver; Soraya and Aziz Grieser; Sheryl Cook; Tina Ejte Mai; Todd Kennedy; Zee Zee and Bobbie Dawn Woodside.

Stacy Dougherty; Sharareh Javdan; Diane Louise Knudson; Parish Tofighian; Jesse Parker; Kelley Weathers; Moselle L. Richards; Scott Sharrard; Assembly of Mount Pleasant.

Geisu and Layli Springer; Assembly of Milwaukee; Assembly of Anoka; Jaered Kochel; Lua Jean Daniel; Bruce S. Schwab; Assembly of Skokie; Gregory Schweitz.

Tahirih Klass; Elizabeth Foster; Suzette Llamas; Assembly of Rock Hill; Aaron Reiber; Adib Asrabadi; Joy Salazar; Adam Andrea; Children of Waco; Erin O’Dear.

Amy and Trevor Phelps; Jerome Whitington; Brooke Vick; Jason Alynn; Patricia M. Wadleigh; Assembly of Hollywood, California; Paula Amaya; Kimberlee Lawrence.

Manhattan Beach Bahá’í Library; Fardad Magharabi; Tamiko Quan; Sohail Tabrizi; Jason Batchelor; Albert Troy Jr.; Christopher Harkins; Misty Jasaira.

Hana and Joa Nielson; Patricia Shown; Anita Moxley; Joyce A. Sweet; Micah Tanous; Kristen Wolfe; Sherri Kimber; Johnny Young; Jennifer and Eric Kivlen.

Rabi Peifer; Fuschia Bradley; N. Khayltash; National Education Committee for Thailand; Rezvan Samary; Assembly of Launceston, Australia; Andisheh Eslamboli; Bridget Boss.

Joan Anderson; Kaija McKague; Melissa Lantz; National Children’s Committee of Canada; Stacey Hutchinson; Danny and Diana Pittman; Karen and Denise Schwartz.

Lua and Justin Siegel; Canterbury children; Sheila Sullivan; William Demoville; Nika Khanjani; Rebecca Williams; Assembly of Lubbock; Assembly of Loveland.

Jeremigh and Nathaniel Sarkett; Carrie and Ian Dahl; Parham Hola Kouee; Negar R. Zamir; April Jaynes; Randall Shelley; Karen Moore; Alec Brüning; Sepedeh Neda.

Gloria B. Troy; Justyn and Erin Haskell; Denise Dwinnell; Sandra Swenson-Scott; Carolyn Hopkins; Erin Crystal Treulufian; E.V. Altman; Maya and Lisa Berthoud.

Assembly of Portland, Oregon; Richard Karl Young; Aaron Allen; Cullen Brooks; Jaleh Heilman; Carolyn Staples; May Farnoush; Cantor family; Matty Thimm.

Robin White; Brian Minielly; Diedre and Leanne Moxley; Johnathan and Laura Patrick; Connie Bergeslione; Michelle and Jeremy Van Der Mee; Nicole Whitney.

R. Ted Anderson; Tyler Schumacher; Benedito Silva; David Mockon.

If you are considering a move, please notify Brilliant Star by using the address change cards inserted inside the magazine each month.

Bahá’í in ‘Who’s Who’

Celia Merritt Johnson, a Bahá’í from Bremerton, Washington, is listed in the most recent edition of “Who’s Who in the West.”

Besides listing her professional accomplishments in the field of real estate, the biographical sketch notes that Ms. Johnson is a Bahá’í and serves as secretary of the Spiritual Assembly of Bremerton.

Don’t be sheepish!

send in your subscription to Brilliant Star today!

one year $12.00 (six issues) two years $23.00 foreign surface: one year $15.00 foreign surface: two years $28.00 foreign air A.O.: one year $25.00 foreign air A.O.: two years $47.50

Enclosed is my gift of $_______ to the Brilliant Star Endowment Fund, established in honor of the Bahá’í children of Iran, for the purpose of developing material for children. I understand that my gift will become part of a perpetual fund whose earnings will support this purpose.

Send to: Brilliant Star Suburban Office Park 5010 Austin Rd. Hixson, TN 37343 [Page 9]

Family Unity Night (Fun)

FIRST WEEK OF OCTOBER: CONSULTATION. Thought for the Week: “Take ye counsel together in all matters, inasmuch as consultation is the lamp of guidance which leadeth the way and is the bestower of understanding.” —Bahá’u’lláh. Prayer: Bahá’í Prayers, p. 204. Lesson: Read and discuss one or more of the suggested lesson materials. 1. Principles of Bahá’í Administration, p. 42, “The Requisites of True Consultation,” 1st paragraph. 2. The Hidden Words, No. 29, p. 10; No. 42, p. 36. 3. Vignettes, No. 19, pp. 115-16; No. 12, p. 43. 4. The Divine Art of Living, No. 4, pp. 77-78. Activity: Together make a family poster that expresses the “prime requisites” of consultation (see Principles of Bahá’í Administration, above). Use the poster whenever making family decisions. Each family member can add a behavior they think will add to the consultation (example, “wait your turn,” etc.). The family consults on the remaining goals of the Seven Year Plan and discusses what they can do as a family to meet the goals. Refreshments: Oatmeal cookies and hot apple cider (or cold, depending on the weather).

SECOND WEEK OF OCTOBER: FEAST OF ‘ILM (Knowledge). Thought for the week: “Knowledge is one of the wondrous gifts of God. It is incumbent upon everyone to acquire it.” —Bahá’u’lláh. Prayer: Bahá’í Prayers, pp. 38-39. Lesson: Read and discuss one or more of the suggested lesson materials. 1. The Hidden Words, No. 13, pp. 6-7. 2. The Divine Art of Living, p. 64, No. 14. 3. Gleanings, p. 194. 4. Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, No. 110, pp. 135-36. Activity: 1. Three random marks on a page are elaborated upon to make a picture. Each family member makes his picture and shares it with the others. 2. “20 Questions.” The person who is “it” thinks of an “animal,” “vegetable” or “mineral.” The others try to guess it using no more than 20 questions that are limited to “yes” or “no” answers. Refreshments: Hot chocolate with marshmallows or whipping cream.

THIRD WEEK OF OCTOBER: BIRTH OF THE BÁB. Thought for the Week: “Though young and tender of age, and though the Cause He revealed was contrary to the desire of all the peoples of the earth, both high and low, rich and poor, exalted and abased, king and subject, Yet He arose and steadfastly proclaimed it.” —Bahá’u’lláh (speaking of the Báb). Prayer: Bahá’í Prayers, p. 29. Lesson: Read and discuss one or more of the suggested lesson materials. 1. Vignettes, pp. 39-40, No. 8. 2. The Báb, Balyúzí, pp. 32, 33-35. 3. Khadíjih Bagum, Wife of the Báb, pp. 9-14. Activity: Read aloud the following quote, and do: “If one of you has been wounded in the heart by the words or deeds of another, during the past year, forgive him now; that in purity of heart and loving pardon, you may feast in happiness, and arise, renewed in spirit.” (The Báb, Vignettes, pp. 39-40). Memorize for a future Feast in the community. Refreshments: Selection of fresh fruit, or a birthday cake in honor of the Báb.

FOURTH WEEK OF OCTOBER: UN DAY/WORLD PEACE. Thought for the Week: “Yet so it shall be; these fruitless strifes, these ruinous wars shall pass away, and the Most Great Peace shall come ...” —Bahá’u’lláh. Lesson: Select two or three paragraphs from the statement on peace prepared by the Universal House of Justice. Read each paragraph aloud and have each family member share his views about what the paragraph means. Listen to each view without comment, only quiet listening. Activity: What do you think a world at peace would be like? Each person share with others his thoughts. Each compose a verse or draw a picture that describes his ideas. Refreshments: Pumpkin pie and milk.

FIFTH WEEK OF OCTOBER: FEAST OF QUDRAT (POWER). Thought for the Week: “Say, the power of God is in the hearts of those who believe in the unity of God.” —The Báb. Prayer: Short obligatory prayer, Bahá’í Prayers, p. 4. Lesson: Read and discuss one or more of the suggested lesson materials. 1. The Hidden Words, No. 12, p. 6. 2. The Divine Art of Living, pp. 45-46, No. 7; or p. 46, Nos. 10, 11, 12. 3. The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 351. Activity: Refer to the quote from the Gleanings, p. 61: “A drop of the billowing ocean of His endless mercy hath adorned all the creation with the ornament of existence, and a breath wafted from His peerless Paradise hath invested all beings with the robe of His sanctity and glory.” To physically demonstrate an analogy to this spiritual truth, put a drop of food coloring into a gallon jug (see-through) of water. Observe the effect of the drop on the water. Using an unlighted room lamp to represent man, the lamp cord to represent the Holy Spirit, and the wall socket to represent the Power Source, God, place the plug in the socket (or turn on the light switch). This act represents the act of will that enables man to receive blessings from God through the power of the Holy Spirit. Build a house with celery logs. Use peanut butter or cream cheese (your choice) for the mortar! Refreshments: Eat the celery house. Add some nuts/raisins and choice of beverage.

Mary K. Radpour steps aside after 10 great years, Brilliant Star welcomes new editor, Debbie Bley

At its June meeting, the editorial board of Brilliant Star, the Bahá’í children’s magazine published by the National Spiritual Assembly, presented Mary K. Radpour, the magazine’s editor for the past 10 years, a framed picture of the first and last covers of the periodical produced during her tenure.

DEBORAH BLEY MARY K. RADPOUR

MRS. Radpour recently relinquished her editorial duties and was replaced by Deborah Bley of Chattanooga, Tennessee.

When Mrs. Radpour was appointed by the National Assembly to serve as editor, the magazine was entitled Child’s Way.

At that time, the magazine was about 25 pages long and cost $5 for six issues per year. There were about 700 subscribers, and the Bahá’í Subscriber Service handled distribution.

One of the first changes she initiated was a change of cover. Photographs, mainly of children, were used. Over the years the covers changed to color and the text was typeset.

An effort was begun to develop quality writers in coordination with the development of Bahá’í artists, under the direction of art editor Rita Leydon.

Mrs. Radpour maintained a balance within each issue of fiction, poetry, articles and activities centered around a chosen theme.

A SUCCESSFUL “parents’ page” was begun, often written by Mrs. Radpour, in addition to original musical scores and book reviews.

During a series of meetings at Mrs. Radpour’s home in 1982 it was decided to change the magazine’s name from Child’s Way to Brilliant Star and to adopt a more enticing format to reflect the increasing standards of quality material found within.

At the same time it was decided, with the approval of the National Education Committee, to create Brilliant Star’s own Subscriber Service to be situated in Chattanooga.

Also, a Brilliant Star endowment fund was established. Monitored by the National Treasurer’s Office, it is in the name of all the Bahá’í children in Iran who are denied the bounty of a Bahá’í magazine. Monies contributed are invested, and the interest used to subsidize the costs of producing Brilliant Star.

The first issue of Brilliant Star, in a larger format with a spectacular color cover of a bursting star and featuring a variety of excellent items inside, appeared in March/April 1983 and was a smashing success.

MRS. Radpour, who lives with her husband Iraj and their four children in Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee, continued as editor until this year when she stepped aside in favor of Mrs. Bley.

Mrs. Radpour serves on the Spiritual Assembly of Hamilton County, is a member of the National Race Unity Committee, and is a frequent speaker for the Faith at public meetings and Bahá’í schools. She uses her ‎masters master's‎ degree in social work in a private practice of individual and family therapy.

Her legacy as editor of Brilliant Star now rests with Mrs. Bley who was appointed to the editorial board in 1982 and soon afterward was named assistant editor.

“The quality of the magazine,” she says, “has been steadily improving. I’m especially excited about the new look and format we developed when the magazine became Brilliant Star.

“Our goals are to continue to improve the materials presented in the magazine, and to increase subscriptions by helping the Bahá’í community become more aware of the excellent resource they have in Brilliant Star for child education, family activities, and teaching and deepening.”

One of Mrs. Bley’s first duties, besides editing the magazine, was to chair a writers’ conference in June.

Plans are already in the works under her direction for the International Year of Peace. A special logo will be introduced with the January/February 1986 issue.

Also, items relating to peace and education, law, language, religion, race unity and the equality of men and women will be carried through the year’s issues.

Tulsa Bahá’í, age 12, among U.S. leaders in Duke U. talent search

Sami Farhad, a 12-year-old member of the Bahá’í community of Tulsa, Oklahoma, is one of 178 seventh graders recognized for high achievement in Duke University’s fifth annual search for mathematically and verbally gifted students.

Students selected in the Talent Identification Program, which is designed to recognize outstanding students and help them become more aware of their abilities and potential, had obtained scores on at least one of the three components of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) equal to or better than those of 85 per cent of college-bound high school seniors.

The 1985 Talent Search involved more than 32,000 students. In Oklahoma, 120 public and private schools participated. Students selected represent the ablest three per cent of seventh graders from 16 states.

Sami is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Soheil Farhad of Tulsa.

Join Us for Another Exciting Session of New Jersey Bahá’í School

Nov. 1 to Nov. 3, 1985 Hudson Guild Farm Andover, New Jersey

Peace through Social & Economic Development ...a Bahá’í Approach

For Information Contact: Scott Duncan / Registrar 6 Redbud Road Piscataway, N.J. 08854 [Page 10]

Divine assistance guaranteed for those who teach Cause

In a letter of Riḍván 1982 the Universal House of Justice called for “a mighty upsurge of effective teaching” to meet the challenge of the growing hunger of peoples of the world for “the love of God and reunion with Him.”

This is the second in a nine-part series that explores the principles of teaching the Faith. Every believer can, through the simple and direct guidance found in the Writings, become an all-confident, effective Bahá’í teacher, capable of uniting hearts with Bahá’u’lláh.

•

The fundamental principle underlying all teaching activities is the relationship between teaching and reliance on the power of divine assistance.

ON THE one hand, the teacher, though he may be making his first efforts or be a new believer who knows little of the Faith, is guaranteed divine assistance by Bahá’u’lláh.

This extends to the point where the teacher acts improperly out of lack of knowledge of inexperience:

“Even if the action should not immediately produce results, or perhaps not be entirely correct, that does not make so much difference ... if someone’s action is wrong, God can use that method of showing the pathway which is right.” (The Individual and Teaching, No. 115)

On the other hand, no matter how expert the teacher may be in his knowledge of the Writings or in his interactions with others, he is still completely dependent on divine assistance for effective teaching.

“Do you think it is the teachers who make converts and change human hearts? No, surely not. They are only pure souls who take the first step, and then let the spirit of Bahá’u’lláh move them and make use of them. If any one of them should even for a second consider his achievements as due to his own capacities, his work is ended and his fall starts.” (The Individual and Teaching, No. 42)

When we recall that teaching is a spiritual process of guiding a soul’s understanding and reunion with its Lord, we can see why divine assistance is irreplaceable.

IT IS the Holy Spirit that quickens the soul; the light of the sun of reality that germinates the seed of faith. To teach without divine assistance is like gardening without the sun.

How do we attract the power of divine assistance? First, simply by arising:

“... when the tongue of the teacher is engaged in teaching, he will naturally ... become a magnet attracting the divine aid and bounty of the Kingdom ...” (The Individual and Teaching, No. 20)

Indeed, we are told that if we fail to arise to teach, “the assistance shall be entirely cut off.” (The Individual and Teaching, p. vii)

We must also remember our basic spiritual discipline including the “remembrance of God, meditation, devotion and prayer,” for it is “impossible that any enterprise should prosper and develop short of divine bestowals and confirmation.” (The Individual and Teaching, No. 31)

To these we can add living a Bahá’í life:

“WHOSO ariseth, in this Day, to aid Our Cause, and summoneth to his assistance the hosts of a praiseworthy character and upright conduct, the influence from such an action will, most certainly, be diffused throughout the whole world.” (The Individual and Teaching, No. 8)

In attracting divine assistance, the goal is to become a pure instrument for the Holy Spirit; to become “like a reed through which the Holy Spirit descends to reach the student of the Faith.” (The Individual and Teaching, No. 93)

We can then teach effectively, serving as a tool to help the spiritual progress of the individual seeker, and in so doing the spiritual regeneration of the planet.

“The criterion is the extent to which we are ready to have the will of God operate through us.

“Stop to be conscious of your frailties, therefore; have a perfect reliance upon God; let your heart burn with the desire to serve His Mission and proclaim His call; and you will observe how eloquence and the power to change human hearts will come as a matter of course.” (The Individual and Teaching, No. 42)

SEVEN YEAR PLAN TEACHING PROGRESS

ASSEMBLIES

About 20 communities around the country are nearing formation of local Assemblies in the coming two months. The formation of these and an additional 10 Assemblies is needed to reach the Seven Year Plan goal of 1,750 by next Riḍván. Assemblies formed at Riḍván 1986 will not count toward the Plan goal; however, during the year a community can form or re-form its Assembly whenever its membership reaches nine or more without waiting until April.

ENROLLMENTS

Goal.............................. “‎unprecedeted unprecedented‎ increase” Since Riḍván.................................. 1,737 (as of August 7) Number of youth (included in the 1,737). 469 (27 per cent of total)

South Carolina’s Project Tabarsi has led the way but is far from the only area that is witnessing growth, as summer teaching projects have had a great impact across the country. The number of new believers so far this year is more than two times that of the same period a year ago. The top 10 states in terms of new believers from Riḍván to August 7, 1985, are:

South Carolina	781	California	82	Arizona	38
South Dakota	155	Georgia	78	Oregon	37
Texas	100	Florida	44	Wisconsin	31
North Carolina	90

HOMEFRONT PIONEERS

Homefront pioneers are needed to help consolidate and teach in many areas, especially those that have witnessed great increases in enrollments during the summer projects. If you are interested in serving in this way, please contact the National Teaching Committee office at the Bahá’í National Center for help and further information. Phone 312-869-9039.

Bahá’ís in White Salmon, Washington, marched behind this banner and also had a booth at the city’s May Fest celebration May 17-19. Bahá’í is dressed in Oriental, Polynesian, Swiss, Persian and American clothing won first prize for best costumes. (Photo by Larry Pedersen)

Lowell campaign sees 50 enrollments

In July, a nine-day teaching project in Lowell, Massachusetts, resulted in about 50 enrollments, three-fourths of whom are Asian (the target group) and the other one-fourth black or Hispanic.

Many of the new Bahá’ís had heard of the Faith while in refugee camps but did not know how to enroll. Most are now teaching with their families.

The project was sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of Lowell and carried out with help from the District Teaching Committee, Bahá’ís from nearby areas and visiting projecteers from the Youth Conference in Ohio.

The District Teaching Committee has made deepening tapes in several languages and is using them with the new enrollees.

The committee is also distributing Spanish-language materials in written form.

Meanwhile, the Assembly in Lowell is trying to purchase a Bahá’í Center.

West Hartford, Connecticut, to host four-state Proclamation Conference

A four-state “Connecticut Proclamation Conference” will be held November 2 at the Elmwood Community Center in West Hartford.

Robert Stockman, author of The Bahá’í Faith in America: Origins, 1892-1900, will serve as chairman of the day-long event.

The keynote address will be given by Juan Caban, formerly of the International Audio-Visual Centre in Haifa.

Also present will be representatives of the national Office of Public Affairs and Office of External Affairs.

Awards will be given to the person who comes the farthest distance to attend, and to the community that brings in the report of the most successful proclamation effort of the past year.

Among the topics for discussion will be commercial television, cable and public access television, various aspects of the print media, the design and uses of posters and invitations, radio, and the use of photographs in proclamation.

Fair booths used by communities in Connecticut will be set up and their owners will discuss their experiences with them.

There will be a musical program, and the entire conference will be assigned a public relations program to work out, which will be commented on by the experts.

The conference will end with a “graduation exercise” complete with commencement address and certificates for those who attend.

It is not necessary to pre-register. Child care will not be available.

Questions may be directed to the conference coordinator, Rodney Drymon, West Hartford, CT 06119, or phone 203-232-8064 anytime. [Page 11]

Youth Workshop members help energize Project Tabarsi

In July, 22 members of the Los Angeles Bahá’í Youth Workshop joined Project Tabarsi in South Carolina, giving the campaign a tremendous boost through their boundless energy and talent in the proclamation, expansion and consolidation work.

LIVING and working out of the Louis Gregory Bahá’í Institute, the group spent 10 days teaching in nine larger towns, mainly in the eastern districts of the state to take advantage of the receptive broadcast area served by WLGI Radio.

Among the tangible results were hundreds of new enrollees, the confirmation of hundreds more, and the proclamation of the Faith to thousands in less than two weeks of constant activity.

The Workshop performed “demos” (demonstrations of what its afternoon performance would be like) in the streets, and in Lake City more than 200 spectators blocked off the streets to see.

The youth taught the seekers using the orange teaching booklet, and invited them to enroll under the banner of Bahá’u’lláh.

The Youth Workshop is coordinated by Oscar DeGruy, who has worked with the young people in California for the past 10 years, training, helping and promoting them.

THE WORKSHOP presented professionally choreographed dances and performed skits and monologues that were written in large part by the members themselves.

Their unity of thought and purpose was strongly felt by all who saw them perform, and their use of consultation served as a model for those who lived and worked with them in South Carolina.

Their energetic rhythms and professionally executed dance numbers galvanized audiences wherever they went, and have inspired a further step in the consolidation process in South Carolina—that of presenting “musical deepenings” to large audiences.

The deepenings will use music to tell the story of the Faith, its history and principles.

The first such performance was given in August, using local talent and inspired to a large degree by the Youth Workshop from Los Angeles.

A Bahá’í youth from California (left) teaches the Faith to a young South Carolinian during Project Tabarsi.

Above: The Los Angeles Bahá’í Youth Workshop performs in South Carolina. Below: During ‘children’s week’ in July, preyouth proudly formed the ‘Spiritual Assembly of Fort Tabarsi.’

Kansas ‘Victory Harvest’ campaign under way in Wichita; 12 declare in first two weekends

On the weekend of July 13-14, the “Victory Harvest” campaign began in Wichita, Kansas.

THE GOAL of the campaign is to use direct teaching (that is, approaching individuals on the street and teaching them about Bahá’u’lláh) to produce a vast increase in avowed adherents to the Cause of God.

After a morning of prayers and deepening, the project began on Saturday afternoon as seven teams hit the streets (actually the parks) and began talking to people about the Blessed Beauty.

By the end of the weekend there were four new Bahá’ís in Wichita!

The second weekend, July 20-21, saw eight more new Bahá’í declarants in Wichita for a total of 12 in four days of teaching!

During the first weekend, the enrollees consisted of three men and one woman. The woman, Ronnie Leet, is the wife of one of Wichita’s newest Bahá’ís (Chris Leet had declared after attending a fireside at which the Hand of the Cause of God William Sears spoke) who came to the project to pick Chris up.

Another new believer that weekend was Michael Jackson (no, not that Michael Jackson) who said his wife would definitely be interested in hearing more about the Faith.

THE SECOND weekend began with one of the teams approaching two young women who were taking their children swimming. One of the young women declared her faith in Bahá’u’lláh and signed her name “Desiree Jackson,” the wife of Michael, she informed us!

When representatives of the Spiritual Assembly of Wichita visited the Jacksons later that day, they were told that the Jacksons have many friends who believe as they do and that they couldn’t wait to share the Faith with them.

Another of the new Bahá’ís, Fred Collins, told the Bahá’ís that he had been thinking about peace and God and religion the week before and got up Saturday morning with an uncontrollable urge to go to the park.

Minutes later he was approached by the Bahá’ís and knew exactly why he’d been thinking the way he had all week and why he’d come to the park that day!

Winston-Salem 1st Assembly to adopt ‘vast increase’ goal

The Spiritual Assembly of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, has become the first local Assembly in the U.S. to adopt and send to the National Teaching Committee a specific numerical teaching plan to win the goal of “a vast increase in the number of adherents” to the Faith.

To meet its impressive goal of 919 new believers, the Assembly has set a goal of three believers per day from the time the goal was adopted until next Ridvan.

A teaching campaign is being held every weekend between now and the end of the Seven Year Plan, with at least one team in the field each week.

After sponsoring the Carolina “Victory Train” for one recent weekend, the Winston-Salem community doubled its numbers with 27 declarations while covering only a six-block area.

Two of the declarants are youth, eight said they were already teaching others about Bahá’u’lláh, and six said they wanted to attend Feast.

Two members of National Assembly of Thailand pay visit to Los Angeles

Two members of the National Spiritual Assembly of Thailand recently came to Los Angeles as a part of its sister city exchange program with Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, whose name also means “city of angels.”

The program was initiated by Auxiliary Board member Anthony Lease and sponsored by the Spiritual Assemblies of Bangkok and Los Angeles under the auspices of the National Assemblies of both countries.

The two visitors were Dr. Tawatchai Wisuttimak, chairman of the National Assembly of Thailand, and the National Assembly secretary, Miss Sunapa Dechattanon.

While in the Los Angeles area, they attended the Local Education Adviser Program regional conference at the Bosch Bahá’í School, and spoke at firesides and public meetings in Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego and Ventura counties.

They also visited the Bahá’í House of Worship and national administrative offices in Wilmette, Illinois, and ended their visit with a potluck reception at the Los Angeles Bahá’í Center during which gifts were exchanged between the Spiritual Assemblies of the two sister cities.

Teaching Guidelines booklet available

The National Teaching Committee now has available for distribution a Teaching Project Guidelines booklet that contains much valuable information on the organization and management of teaching projects and also features information on service projects and the effective use of traveling teachers and entertainers.

The cost of the booklet is $3 which covers shipping and handling expenses. Anyone can order copies of the Teaching Project Guidelines from the National Teaching Committee using the attached form.

Please send me _____ copies of the Teaching Project Guidelines booklet at $3 each.

Name _____________________________________________________

Address __________________________________________________

City _____________________________ State ______ Zip _________

Amount enclosed $__________

Make checks payable to “Bahá’í Services Fund” and return the form to the National Teaching Committee, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091. [Page 12]‘The great and fundamental teachings of Bahá’u’lláh are the oneness of God and unity of mankind. This is the bond of union among Bahá’ís all over the world. They become united among themselves, then unite others. It is impossible to unite unless united.’ — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Prom. Universal Peace, p. 156

Jefferson City, Missouri, honors president of Lincoln University

To commemorate Race Unity Day, the Bahá’ís of Jefferson City, Missouri, presented a plaque to Thomas Miller Jenkins, president of Lincoln University, in recognition of his contributions to racial harmony in Jefferson City.

Mr. Jenkins also received a check for $100 from the Bahá’ís for the Lincoln University Foundation Fund.

Lincoln is a black heritage university founded in 1865 by black Union soldiers and their white officers to help educate the recently freed former slaves.

The school remained segregated until 1954, but since then has become highly integrated with about one-third of its students black Americans, 60 per cent white, and the rest a mixture of American Indians, Africans and those of other nationalities.

The Bahá’ís commended Mr. Jenkins for speaking out against racial animosity and advocating that the university, state and nation take pride in Lincoln’s rich racial and cultural diversity.

During the presentation Mr. Jenkins, a former resident of Evanston, Illinois, referred to his knowledge of the Faith and spoke warmly of the “beautiful Bahá’í Temple” which he said he could see from his Evanston apartment.

In response to the honor given to him by the Bahá’ís, Mr. Jenkins wrote a glowing letter in which he said, “... Be assured that I will endeavor to live up to your expectations by becoming a more dedicated advocate of complete love and equality for all people at all times, under all circumstances.”

Thomas Miller Jenkins (left), the president of Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri, receives a plaque in recognition of his contributions to racial unity from members of the Bahá’í community of Jefferson City (left to right) Katie Trickey, Harry Trickey and David Schreimann.

Bahá’í receives mental health service award

Guity Kiani, a Bahá’í who is the founder of the Center for New Americans in Concord, California, was presented the Distinguished Service Award by the Mental Health Association of Contra Costa County at its 24th annual meeting May 31 in Martinez.

According to Jeanne Gianakos, president of the Mental Health Association’s board of directors, “Guity’s contribution as founder of the Center for New Americans and the use of cross-cultural counseling to help immigrants and refugees adjust to new homes in the U.S., to achieve mental and emotional stability and to become self-sufficient and contributing members of society, which represent the spirit of these goals,” led to her being given the award.

About 100 attend Madison, Wisconsin’s second annual Race Unity Conference

About 100 people were present June 22 for the second annual Race Unity Conference at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.

Among the five panelists representing four races at this year’s conference, which was co-sponsored by the Bahá’í community of Madison and that city’s chapter of the NAACP, was Dr. Robert Henderson, secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly.

The conference theme was “Above All Barriers: The Advantages of Race Unity.”

Besides Dr. Henderson, panelists were a Native American, a Hispanic, a black woman and a white woman. The moderator was Jack Lee, a Bahá’í from the Milwaukee area.

The conference was recognized by Mayor Joseph Sensenbrenner who proclaimed that day “Race Unity Day” in Madison.

Panelists at the second annual Race Unity Conference held June 22 at the University of Wisconsin in Madison were (left to right) Dr. Robert Henderson, secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly; Mary Kay Baum; Marlene Cummings; Jay Fletcher, and Rosa Escamilla. The moderator was Jack Lee, a Bahá’í from the Milwaukee area.

Letter

‘Victims of prejudice’: another point of view

To the Editor:

After reading the article on the Race Unity page (June) concerning “victims of prejudice,” I would like to offer a contrasting opinion.

THE PERSIAN Bahá’í in America has functioned in a country where, by government edict, his property, money, business and the right to work have been taken from him.

In Iran, it is a crime to be a Bahá’í. He cannot teach the Faith, even to his own children, and he cannot meet with other Bahá’ís.

This is due to religious prejudice.

From the article, we are given to understand that racial prejudice in America is going to be a problem, but that his activity will be so great that he will dominate the Bahá’í meetings, which will be conducted in Persian, to the extent that the American believers will become inactive.

In America, however, we have laws about racial prejudice in employment and housing. Racial prejudice is frowned upon and may be prosecuted by the law.

Do we find much difference between religious or racial prejudice? We do not. One is as bad as the other.

THE PERSIAN Bahá’í in America won’t find racial prejudice to be a barrier. He’ll be overjoyed at finding freedom to worship, to live where he desires, to teach the Faith openly, to gather together with Bahá’í friends.

There is no need for dark and foreboding prophecies that the American Bahá’ís will become frustrated or even inactive.

On the contrary, the American Bahá’ís will enjoy the chanting of Bahá’í prayers in Persian, will find that most Persian Bahá’ís speak English quite well, and will learn a great deal from a people who have functioned as Bahá’ís in a highly forbidding atmosphere.

As a pioneer, I have served on several Local Spiritual Assemblies dominated numerically by Persians and am astonished that anyone, especially a Bahá’í, would assume that I would feel displaced. Why should I, or any Bahá’í, for that matter? Aren’t we all the leaves of one tree?

Bahá’ís are not prejudiced, and would it not be prejudice if we were to withdraw and become inactive because of a majority of Persian Bahá’ís on an Assembly?

I am inclined toward optimism concerning the integration of the Persian Bahá’ís into both the Bahá’í community and the community as a whole.

Harold G. South Grevenmacher, Luxembourg

Archives is seeking Bahá’í Canada copies

The National Bahá’í Archives is seeking the following copies of the Canadian Bahá’í News/Bahá’í Canada to fill gaps in its collection: Nos. 2, 6, 8-10, 14-21, 23-25, 31, 41-51, 64, 66-69, 71-73, 75, 88-96, 98-99, 116, 119-120, 122. Anyone having copies he or she can donate is asked to contact the National Bahá’í Archives, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091.

‘Lifetime of service’ leads Florida Bahá’í to college ‘Hall of Fame’

For “lifetime achievements of personal worth and service to others,” the name of Mrs. Alice Simmons Cox, a Bahá’í from Pinellas Park, Florida, was added June 8 to the Scroll of Honor at her alma mater during the commencement meeting of the 50 Year Club of Knox and Lombard Colleges in Galesburg, Illinois.

The classes of Knox and Lombard Colleges, which graduated in Galesburg a half-century and more ago, elect annually to their special alumni “Hall of Fame” a limited number of members who exemplify “the fine art of living and serving.”

Mrs. Cox (Lombard ’25), a native of Woodhull, Illinois, who is retired and living with her husband, John, in Florida, was a feature writer for the Peoria Journal Star, an editor of World Order magazine, served on the staff of The Bahá’í World, co-authored the pamphlet “Race and Man,” was a frequent speaker at the Bahá’í House of Worship in Wilmette, and has had several of her poems published. [Page 13]

L.A. Workshop teaches Cause on cross-country tour

This brief summary of the Los Angeles Bahá’í Youth Workshop’s recent cross-country teaching trip was written by two members of the group, Mandy Enayati and Dallejo Hernandez.

At 6 a.m. Monday, June 24, 22 members of the Los Angeles Bahá’í Youth Workshop, a group of young people who use the performing arts to teach the Faith, left the Los Angeles Bahá’í Center on a cross-country teaching trip.

TRAVELING by chartered Greyhound bus, they made stops in Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Ohio, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Texas and New Mexico before returning home.

Along the way, through dance, song, poetry, comedy and drama, they presented powerful messages of love, unity in diversity, the elimination of prejudices, and the oneness of mankind.

After a 38-hour bus ride the young Bahá’ís arrived in Wichita, Kansas, where during a two-day stay they performed at a shopping mall, at Wichita State University, and before a large audience at a private school, the American Business Center.

In Kansas City, Missouri, the group stayed at the Bahá’í Center, gave a late night performance at a reception held for them in the home of one of the friends, and performed at several shopping malls and parks.

In Fulton, Missouri, the Workshop’s arrival coincided with the town’s first “Kingdom Days Festival” commemorating its refusal during the Civil War to side with either the Union or the Confederacy.

Although there are only three Bahá’ís in Fulton, the performances were widely publicized and almost the entire community was awaiting the workshop’s arrival.

AFTER walking through a predominantly black neighborhood to perform at a small park, the Workshop members were followed by about 100 black youths to the next performance in a white area of town where the festival was being held.

The white crowd’s astonishment at the unexpected racial integration soon wore off as the Workshop performed before an audience of about 500.

Afterward, the local black youths had an opportunity to display their talents before the now appreciative audience.

An evening Workshop performance at the Fulton Community Center, which like the afternoon performance was video taped, attracted about 200 people and resulted in more than 40 interest cards being filled out.

In Illinois, the Workshop’s fourth stop, the youth explored nearly every corner of the Bahá’í House of Worship in Wilmette and its gardens, spent much time praying there, and toured the National Center office building in nearby Evanston.

The group performed at a park in southeast Chicago and at an annual festival, “Taste of Chicago,” where their dancing attracted a crowd of hundreds.

RADIO station WBMX, broadcasting live from the festival, talked about the Bahá’í Youth Workshop as they performed.

The crowning moment for the group while in the Wilmette area was a performance in Foundation Hall at the House of Worship, a great honor for the youth and a special memory not to be forgotten.

And speaking of special memories, the group’s next five days—at the International Bahá’í Youth Conference in Columbus, Ohio—were probably the most memorable of the entire trip. The program, the speakers, the youth, and the energy were simply indescribable!

The Workshop had to leave the conference several times to perform, once on the steps of the State Capitol building in downtown Columbus where several hundred people gathered during their lunch hour to watch.

That same day, a local television camera crew, which was on its way to cover the conference, came across the Workshop and stopped to interview and film the young dancers.

The news report broadcast that evening was a powerful, sensitive and creative blend of images and commentary which contrasted the joyful, energetic movement of Bahá’í youth in America with poignant scenes from the music video “Mona” which portrays the courage, suffering and persecution of Bahá’í youth in Iran.

Another unforgettable experience was the Workshop’s conference performance for more than 3,000 Bahá’í youth who responded with a thunderous ovation and demanded an encore. Their support and enthusiasm were overwhelming.

Many Workshop members cried when they had to leave their dear Bahá’í brothers and sisters after the conference. But they were happy in knowing that the youth were fired up and ready to teach.

Chants of “the youth, the youth, the youth are on fire!” could be heard as the Youth Workshop left Columbus en route to Project Tabarsi at the Louis Gregory Institute in South Carolina.

In the South, working alongside local Bahá’í youth, the Workshop members saw results that are truly amazing.

In Charlotte, North Carolina, almost 30 declarations; in Florence, South Carolina, more than 40; in Lake City, more than 100; in Kingstree, more than 50.

Truly, “the Bahá’í youth are on fire!”

Above: South Carolinians get ready to enjoy a performance by the Los Angeles Bahá’í Youth Workshop. Right: A member of the Workshop entertains while others take a well-deserved breather.

Members of the L.A. Bahá’í Youth Workshop treat their audience to a spirited dance at a South Carolina gymnasium.

Brown

Continued From Page 4

personality, attractive as it may be, but the light, the truth of God shining through His selfless spirit that makes Him so wonderful and His words like the Water of Life.”

Ruth returned to Haifa in 1921 shortly after the passing of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, sharing the grief of the Holy Family and comforting Shoghi Effendi, upon whom had suddenly fallen the responsibility of the Guardianship of the Faith.

After her husband’s death, Ruth continued actively to promulgate the Cause. She married Bishop Brown, a professor at the University of Pittsburgh, and together they taught the Faith at home, in local centers, and across the country.

In 1953 the Browns arose to serve during the Ten Year Crusade, responding to the Guardian’s suggestion that they pioneer to South Africa by making their home in Durban on the Indian Ocean.

A PERSONAL note from the Guardian appended to a letter of September 5, 1953, gave them his blessings:

“May the Almighty abundantly reward you for your prompt, exemplary and spontaneous response, bless richly your high endeavours, guide and sustain you always, remove all obstacles from your path, and enable you to win brilliant victories in the service of His glorious Faith.”

Through the years Ruth continued to create and sustain a welcome atmosphere for the countless visitors to her family’s home.

Upon her death in Durban in 1969, the Universal House of Justice cabled:

“Grieved learn passing Ruth Randall Brown. Her long life devoted distinguished service Cause Bahá’u’lláh shining example all pioneers. Please arrange befitting memorial her behalf. Convey her family our loving sympathy assurance ardent prayers Divine Threshold progress her soul.”

From the Bahá’í Publishing Trust A corrected reprint of Bahá’í Prayers featuring two new prayers—one for the martyrs and their families and one for the departed a new alphabetical index to first lines (replacing the chronological-by-category index) corrections on all prayers containing typographical errors in the previous editions a softcover edition in a striking charcoal grey a hardcover gift edition in maroon with grey endsheets and a silver ribbon an embossed nine-pointed star and “Bahá’í Prayers” stamped in silver on both covers Softcover $3.75* Hardcover $7.50* Available from Bahá’í Distribution Service 415 Linden Avenue Wilmette, IL 60091 Tel. 1-800-323-1880 *Add 10 per cent for postage and handling (minimum $1.50); 15 per cent for shipment overseas.

A practical measure of devotion National Bahá’í Fund Wilmette, IL 60091

[Page 14]

Mona

Continued From Page 1

a day, according to Jack Lenz, who produced the song and video.

Mr. Lenz adds that a one-hour Monday through Friday program called "Video Hits" began playing the Mona video once or twice a week in August. That program has an audience estimated at one million.

The release date for the album on Gold Mountain records and the music video in the U.S. is September 23, with the single expected to be released a few days before that.

A RECORD distribution contract for "Mona with the Children" has already been signed in Japan, and contracts are pending in several other countries.

It is clear from the experience Canada is having that Bahá’ís can play a part in whatever commercial success the song will have.

To help Bahá’ís in working to promote the "Mona" single, album and music video, the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada has prepared a packet of materials called "The Story of Mona" that should be of great help in this effort.

Bahá’ís are strongly encouraged to obtain copies of the booklet (see coupon on this page).

"We’re working with a commercial record company which has made a sizeable investment in ‘Mona with the Children,’" says Mr. Lenz. "We hope Bahá’ís will use discretion and read the materials that have been prepared so that neither our relationship with the record company nor the success of ‘Mona’ will be jeopardized by precipitous actions by the friends."

Another tool to help the Bahá’ís in dealing with the public’s reaction to the song and video is a 40-minute instructional video tape.

The instructional video, a workshop on questions that may be raised by the public about Mona along with guidelines for promoting the record and music video, is called the "Working with Mona" package and sells for $25 (see the coupon on this page).

The package offers background information about Mona Mahmudnizhad and provides answers to some of the questions Bahá’ís are likely to be asked about her and her decision to give her life for the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh.

Bahá’ís who want a copy of the album or single "Mona with the Children" are encouraged to buy them or order them through their local record stores.

The Bahá’í Distribution Service is already distributing the VHS and Beta versions of the "Mona with the Children" music video, and, on the same tape, a 40-minute program titled "Mona’s Story" that includes an interview with Doug Cameron about how the song came to be written, interviews with others who took part in filming the video, and a discussion of the motivation for turning the story of the martyrdom of a teenage girl into a music video.

The VHS and Beta versions of "Mona" sell for $45 each (postage included) and can be ordered by individuals or through local community book sales representatives.

The booklet titled "The Story of Mona" is also available from the Bahá’í Distribution Service for $5. A coupon for the tapes and instructional packet is below.

Book sales soar at Columbus Youth Conference

THE glowing reports emanating from the International Youth Conference in Columbus, Ohio, over the Fourth of July weekend include one of the most astonishing periods of book sales in the history of the Bahá’í Publishing Trust and its Distribution Service.

"YOU COULD say, never have so many bought so much in so short a time," says Robert Blum, the Distribution Service marketing manager. "We were shocked and a little unprepared for the kind of response our book store received in Columbus.

"Our two newest publications, Unrestrained as the Wind ($7.95 SC) and the Bahá’í Challenge game ($20; $17.50 for youth and senior citizens) were expected to do well but they outstripped our expectations," says Mr. Blum. "The Publishing Trust is already in the process of reprinting Unrestrained as the Wind and our supplies of Bahá’í Challenge are running low.

"Another surprise," he says, "was the variety and scope of purchases. Before we decided what books to bring and in what quantity, we looked at sales of individual titles from past National Conventions and large conferences and made our best estimate of what to bring.

"When the dust had settled, more than half of the titles we brought had sold out and about three-quarters of all we brought was gone. That’s really a tremendous change from our past experience.

"Our sales were about double what we had optimistically anticipated. What was especially frustrating was the fact that had we brought more of certain books we could have sold them.

"We had people coming in the last two days asking where the books were they had seen a day or two before."

Mr. Blum says a number of other new titles also helped increase the conference sales figures.

"Among the other best-selling titles were the new music tape from Leslie & Kelly called We Are One ($8.50) and two new books from George Ronald, Shi’i Islam: An Introduction ($25 HC, $15 SC) and In Search of Nirvana ($6.95 HC, $3.50 SC), a Bahá’í perspective on alcohol and drug abuse.

"Of course," he adds, "all the music cassettes sold well with the newer ones like Unity in Diversity ($7.50) selling especially well.

"We have to be happy with the response at the conference, and especially with the response to our new titles. If we’d only known how strong the response was going to be, we’d have brought a lot more books."

Two new compilations from United Kingdom are now available

The list of topics about which there are compilations is growing with the addition of two produced by the Bahá’í Publishing Trust of the United Kingdom. Both compilations were prepared by the Research Department at the Bahá’í World Centre.

The first, titled "Excellence in All Things" ($2 SC) is, according to a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, designed in the hope that it "will guide the friends everywhere in the conduct of their individual lives so that they may follow Bahá’u’lláh’s exhortation to distinguish themselves ... through deeds and that their ‘light can be shed upon the whole world.’"

The second compilation is "Bahá’í Writings on Music" ($2.50 SC) which will be of particular interest to Bahá’í musicians and those considering a career in music.

Bahá’í themes used in paintings for degree thesis at U. of Tulsa

“Pure Souls in the Siyyah Chal” is the theme of a series of water colors done by a Bahá’í, Jennifer Gemmell, for her masters thesis at the University of Tulsa.

The paintings are part of an ongoing attempt, begun by the artist when she joined the Faith as a student at the Kansas City Art Institute, to translate her understanding of the spiritual truths found in the Writings into visual form.

Several of her water colors will remain as a permanent part of the University of Tulsa’s collection.

Ms. Gemmell would like to exchange ideas with other Bahá’í artists. A copy of her thesis abstract will be sent on request. You may write to her at 3244 S. Lakewood, Unit 4C, Tulsa, OK 74135.

Booklet recounts Samoa Temple dedication

The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Samoa is producing a commemorative booklet to observe the first anniversary of the dedication of the House of Worship there.

The booklet, titled "The Dawning Place of the Pacific," includes 32 pages of color photographs and text detailing the historic event that took place last year, plus a 12-page supplement that includes the letters and messages from the Universal House of Justice, the Hands of the Cause of God, members of the Continental Boards of Counsellors, and National Spiritual Assemblies around the world.

Included in the text is the speech made by His Highness Malietoa Tanumafili II, the first Bahá’í monarch, at the dedication ceremony. "The Dawning Place of the Pacific" is a limited edition and sells for $8.

Bahá’í Publishing Trust and Distribution Service Top 25 Titles in Dollar Volume 1984-85

1. Bahá’í Faith: The Emerging Global Religion
2. Bahá’í Readings
3. Unto Him Shall We Return
4. Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era, SC
5. Bahá’í Faith in America: Origins
6. Bahá’í Proofs
7. Bahá’í Prayers, SC
8. Bahá’í DayBook
9. Datebook
10. Wall calendar
11. Some Answered Questions, PS
12. Eng/Per/Ara Hidden Words
13. Bahá’í Readings, leather
14. Bahá’í Faith Teaching Booklet
15. Bahá’í Prayers, HC
16. Loving Hands, CS
17. Unfolding Destiny
18. The Dawning Place, SC
19. Lights of Guidance
20. The Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh, Vol. 3
21. Bahá’í World set, Vols 1-12
22. Gleanings, PS
23. I Am a Bahá’í
24. Bahá’í History Calendar
25. Kitáb-i-Íqán, PS

‘MONA’ MATERIALS COUPON

‘Mona with the Children’ video tape (Beta)	$45.00
‘Mona with the Children’ video tape (VHS)	45.00
‘The Story of Mona’ booklet (softcover)	5.00
‘Working with Mona’ package (video tape, booklet)	25.00

Send to: Bahá’í Distribution Service 415 Linden Avenue Wilmette, IL 60091

ORDER FORM

Quan.		Amt.	Quan.		Amt.
___	Bahá’í Challenge, Game	$20.00*	___	Selections Writings ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, HC	$12.50
___	Bahá’í DayBook, SC	3.75	___	Selections Writings ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, SC	6.00
___	Bahá’í Faith in America, HC	19.95	___	Selections Writings ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, LT	6.00
___	Bahá’í Prayers, HC	7.50	___	Shi’i Islam: An Introduction, HC	25.00
___	Bahá’í Prayers, SC	3.75	___	Shi’i Islam: An Introduction, SC	15.00
___	Bahá’í Writings on Music, SC	2.50	___	Unity in Diversity, CS	7.50
___	Dawning Place of the Pacific, SC	8.00	___	Unrestrained as the Wind, SC	7.95
___	Excellence in All Things, SC	2.00	___	Unto Him Shall We Return, SC	7.95
___	In Search of Nirvana, HC	6.95	___	We Are One, CS	8.50
___	In Search of Nirvana, SC	3.50	___	Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, SC	1.25
___	Prayers and Meditations, HC	11.00	___	World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, HC	11.00
___	Remember the Rainbow, SC	3.95	___	World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, SC	6.50

• $17.50 for youth and senior citizens—price is NET

Total plus 10 per cent postage ($1.50 minimum for postage) __________

Enclose a check for the full amount, or

VISA/MC (CIRCLE ONE) EXP. DATE __________

CARD NO. _________________________________________

Name _____________________________________________

Address __________________________________________

City ____________________ State ____ Zip _______

Credit card orders ($10.00 minimum) are accepted by phone: 800-323-1880 (outside Illinois), or 312-251-1854 (within Illinois).

Bahá’í Distribution Service 415 LINDEN AVENUE WILMETTE, IL 60091

TAB 9/85 Prices good through October 31, 1985 [Page 15]

The Creative Word

Prayers and Meditations a ‘precious volume’ to help deepen friends’ spirit of devotion, faith

Of Prayers and Meditations, Shoghi Effendi said: “Such a precious volume will help to deepen, more than any other publication, the spirit of devotion and faith in the friends ...” The Guardian’s letter also says that perusal of Prayers and Meditations by the friends will help “charge them with all the spiritual power they require for the accomplishment of their tremendous duties towards the Cause.”

Surely we could all benefit from a charge of spiritual power. As we look into the future, we can imagine only dimly the range of accomplishments we will need to perform—particularly the youth, who will help to “shape the societies of the future.”

Inspired by the new statement on peace from the Universal House of Justice, by the new compilation Unrestrained as the Wind: A Life Dedicated to Bahá’u’lláh, and by the spirit of the recent youth/parents/children’s conference in Columbus, Ohio, we should commit ourselves even more deeply to reading the Creative Word, especially the prayers of Bahá’u’lláh, and to doing so in groups—with our families, community members of all ages, and Spiritual Assemblies. Thus we may achieve a spirit of close collaboration, devotion and faith as we strive to bring about those changes that the world so desperately needs as it strives toward establishing peace.

Prayers and Meditations is presently available through the Bahá’í Distribution Service in hardcover only in the British Publishing Trust’s edition for $11.

Peace statement can lend new focus to November observance of 3 Holy Days

November is a month with three Bahá’í Holy Days—the anniversary of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh (November 12), the Day of the Covenant (November 26), and the Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (November 28).

With the publication of the statement on peace by the Universal House of Justice, entitled “The Promise of World Peace,” we can give a new focus to our proclamation and Holy Day events, for we can use them to share with our friends the vision and practical steps toward peace given to us by the Supreme Body.

Each community, using its own special creativity, talents and means, can find ways of relating the statement on peace to the purpose of Bahá’u’lláh’s coming and to the significance of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as the Center of the Covenant.

In addition to “The Promise of World Peace,” other resources we can draw upon for the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh include The Dawn-breakers (pp. 118-120).

Resources for the Day of the Covenant include The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh (pp. 134-36), Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (pp. 213-16), and, for personal reading and deepening, The Bahá’í Faith in America: Origins, 1892-1900 (chapters 12 and 13).

This last resource details the struggle that the American believers went through to gain an understanding of the Covenant during the earliest years of the Faith in America.

Resources for the anniversary of the Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá include The Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh (pp. 131-39), God Passes By (pp. 313-14), and the Tablet of Visitation in Bahá’í Prayers (p. 234).

Using themes of current importance (such as that of peace) along with the rich resources we have at our disposal will help lend an even greater significance to the events we plan.

Ordering from Bahá’í Distribution Service

Individuals living anywhere in the world can order titles listed on this page from the Bahá’í Distribution Service at the prices quoted (see the coupon on Page 14). U.S. customers should add 10 per cent for postage and handling (minimum $1.50) for UPS or fourth class mail; foreign customers should add 15 per cent (minimum $1.50) for surface mail.

Bahá’í institutions outside the 48 contiguous states should order directly from the Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 415 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091.

Unrestrained as the Wind

A Life Dedicated to Bahá’u’lláh off to flying start as a big seller

Unrestrained as the Wind: A Life Dedicated to Bahá’u’lláh is selling like hotcakes. Why?

• Unrestrained helps Bahá’ís to order their priorities and to balance all of the aspects of life into a unified life of service.
• Unrestrained is the most unique deepening tool that has come along in a long time.
• Unrestrained is process-oriented and helps connect the various facets of one’s busy life.
• Unrestrained addresses issues of major concern to Bahá’í youth and adults.
• Unrestrained contains messages addressed to Bahá’í youth by the Universal House of Justice.
• Unrestrained connects us with our heroic forebears and the equally heroic martyrs of today.
• Unrestrained is ideal for individual study and group discussion, especially with groups of youth and their peers, youth and their parents, and all community members with one another.

Unrestrained as the Wind is already being reprinted, only one month after its release. Have you ordered your copy?

(Available in softcover only at $7.95 through the Bahá’í Distribution Service.)

Error in first printing of Unrestrained as Wind

On pages 100-101, No. 78, in Unrestrained as the Wind, the third paragraph should be the first paragraph in the extract from the letter from the Universal House of Justice.

Trust answers burning question: What will Bahá’í Datebook 143 B.E. be like?

When the Bahá’í Publishing Trust was designing the Bahá’í Datebook for 143 B.E., the staff was guided by a number of considerations, including responses from you, our customers.

FIRST, it was felt that the Datebook should be distinctly “Bahá’í” in character, though not too far removed from the Gregorian format that governs our interaction with the non-Bahá’í world.

The second consideration was that the Datebook should be economical and practical to produce, so that we could make it available at a moderate price.

The third consideration was that it should show a Gregorian month at a glance.

The fourth and final consideration was that it should include plenty of space for writing in appointments.

To achieve these goals, the following decisions were reached:

The Bahá’í Datebook 143 B.E. will feature an entire Gregorian month (3 inches x 2 1/2 inches) printed horizontally on the top page of the double-page spread, with both Bahá’í and Gregorian dates.

To the right of the calendar there will be a list of Feasts and Holy Days for that month with space to write in the location and time for these events.

When room permits, a quotation from the writings will also appear. On the bottom page of the double-page spread there will be lines for additional Bahá’í events, birthdays and anniversaries, and other notes.

The Bahá’í rhythm of life is reflected in the decision to start the calendar in March and to begin each week with Saturday.

Diagonal lines on special “Bahá’í” days will indicate that the day begins at sunset the preceding day. Legal holidays will appear on the calendar as well as Bahá’í event days.

THE FIELD of publishing is fraught with limitations of which the public remains unaware. This is particularly true with the Bahá’í Publishing Trust, whose financial resources and market remain

See DATEBOOK Page 27

Datebook elicits wide variety of customer responses

Last month we printed an article about the response of customers to the Bahá’í Datebook 142 B.E. To illustrate the variety of responses, the following comments were gleaned from among the many sent to the Publishing Trust:

“I find this format much more useful. The Datebook has become a teaching tool for me every time I consult in front of non-Bahá’í friends.”

“The new format has been a total disaster for me to use. While I applaud the efforts of the Publishing Trust in trying to make the Bahá’ís more sensitive to the Bahá’í calendar, I cannot help but note that we live in a society organized around the Gregorian calendar and must work harmoniously within it.”

“Over-all, the most appropriate comment I can make about the change in format is: ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’”

“I love it. It helps keep the Bahá’í calendar in our minds.”

“The new Datebook has been driving me crazy!”

“I’d buy them (Datebooks) in any format.”

“I’m happy you came out with the new calendar. The most useful thing about having more writing space is that it enables one to use it for an every-day engagement calendar and for work.”

“I ordered six and gave them all away.”

“I did not buy one because of the format. I really need a full month at a glance.”

“I appreciate efforts to foster a Bahá’í rhythm of identity. However, our work, commercial and societal life is governed by the Gregorian calendar. I feel there are more important ways to promote a Bahá’í identity than by a calendar layout.”

“I certainly admire your adventurousness in trying a new design. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. But I also humbly hope that you will revert to many of the features of the old design that made it very useful.”

Corrected reprint of Bahá’í Prayers available

The Bahá’í Publishing Trust is publishing a corrected reprint of Bahá’í Prayers, according to Dr. Betty J. Fisher, general editor.

“The reprint,” says Dr. Fisher, “includes two new prayers—a newly translated prayer for the departed, and a prayer for martyrs and their families.

“It also contains a new alphabetical index to the first lines of prayers, which makes finding a specific prayer much easier than did the previous chronological-by-category index.

Another aspect of the reprint, she says, “is that all typographical errors appearing in the previous edition have been corrected.”

The new softcover reprint of Bahá’í Prayers has a charcoal grey cover and sells for $3.75. The hardcover version has a maroon cover with grey endsheets and a silver ribbon.

Both are embossed with a nine-pointed star and have “Bahá’í Prayers” stamped in silver on the cover.

“The hardcover reprint will make a lovely gift item,” says Dr. Fisher, “especially for youth who identify with the martyrs in Iran, families who have lost loved ones, and for all of us who share the grief of the stricken Persian families and wish to pray for them.

“Bahá’í Prayers is one book that will never diminish in popularity and importance, no matter how many reprints it goes through.”

The softcover reprint of Bahá’í Prayers can be ordered now from the Bahá’í Distribution Service; the hardcover edition is expected to be available in early October.

What qualities are transferred from the physical realm to the spiritual realm at the time of death?

(See pages 33-36 in Unto Him Shall We Return) [Page 16]

CLASSIFIEDS

Classified notices in The American Bahá’í are published free of charge as a service to the Bahá’í community. Notices are limited to items relating to the Faith; no personal or commercial messages can be accepted for publication. The opportunities referred to have not been approved by the National Spiritual Assembly, and the friends should exercise their own judgment in responding to them.

PIONEER abroad! This is the call to the American Bahá’í community. The need is for teachers. The International Goals Committee receives continuing requests for qualified teachers at all levels from pre-school to post-graduate for positions throughout the world. We’d like to know your skills and experience so we can fill these positions. If you can’t go right now, contact us anyway. Write to the International Goals Committee, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, or phone 312-869-9039.

HANDS ON!, a workbook of Bahá’í educational activities for children by Sandy and Alonzo Coleman and Diane Bogulu Petit is available from the Louhelen Bahá’í School. It includes a chapter on creating learning centers and more than 100 practical activities for children along with 80 photos depicting the activities, which deal with Bahá’í history, the Central Figures and Shoghi Effendi, religious history, the Bahá’í teachings, Bahá’í institutions, and the dynamic force of example. Sample record-keeping forms and reproducible activities (crossword puzzles and word searches) also are included. Designed for use in child education classes. 178 pages. Cost, including binder and shipping, is $19. Send check to Hands On!, Louhelen Bahá’í School, 3208 S. State Road, Davison, MI 48423. Phone orders (VISA and MasterCard accepted) can be made by calling 313-653-5033.

THE UNIVERSAL House of Justice has asked that the American Bahá’í community arise and replace four pioneers to the northwestern and southwestern areas of Argentina before next Riḍván. For more information, contact the International Goals Committee, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, or phone 312-869-9039.

SPIRITUAL Assemblies: We are willing to send traveling teachers to more affluent Assembly areas in return for help in raising funds for a much-needed Bahá’í Center in Florence, South Carolina, the heart of mass teaching, WLGI radio, and the spirit of Tabarsi. We have everything but money! If interested, write to Anne Breneman, secretary, Spiritual Assembly of Florence, P.O. Box 4323, Florence, SC 29501 (phone 803-667-1540).

SONGS and lyrics in various modes are being collected by a pioneer for solo singers or choir for use during the Year of Peace. Names of composers whose songs are used will be clearly mentioned and protection of songs is guaranteed. Would enjoy exchanging my songs with yours. Send either simple or detailed piano arrangements or a cassette with reasonable renditions of melody and, if possible, basic harmony. Guitar written chords above melody helpful. For details, write to Jeanne South, L-6795, Luxembourg.

SEEKING two people with French passports to pioneer to French Guiana by Riḍván 1986. For more information, contact the International Goals Committee, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, or phone 312-869-9039.

WERE YOU a participant in the Western Regional Bahá’í Musicians’ Conference held in Salt Lake City in June 1975? Do you know someone who was? Please contact Jon Lyksett, c/o the Spiritual Assembly of Blackfoot, P.O. Box 22, Blackfoot, ID 83221, for a questionnaire to help us put together a “Ten Years After” newsletter. Whether or not you are still involved in music, we’d like to hear from you.

ATTENTION educators, administrators, parents: enthusiastic and dedicated parents are founding a school in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, area that will foster the growth and development of “a new race of men.” Opening in September 1986, the school will initially serve K-3rd grades. There are exciting opportunities for educators, administrators and, of course, children. The school will attempt to follow and implement guidance for child education given in the Writings. The academically sound curriculum will include emphasis on spiritual development, prayer, use of the Creative Word, stories of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahá’í history, and more—and functionally, will emulate the ANISA model. Dialogue with ANISA-trained people is greatly desired, as is information about any school founded by Bahá’ís that expresses the values of the Faith. If anyone has materials, furniture, expertise to contribute, please contact us. Teachers, aides and administrators: please send resumés and salary expectations. We will help in relocation. Many communities in the area need Bahá’ís. And please remember the children and their school in your prayers. Write to Jenny Lerner, secretary, 1135 Wood Avenue, Shorewood, WI 53211, or phone 414-332-6365.

COMMEMORATIVE T-shirts, cups and buttons are still available from the Kansas Victory Month. Don’t miss this chance to own a piece of history! T-shirt sizes: children, S, M; adults, S, M, L, XL in tan, blue, yellow, orange. Please indicate 1st and 2nd choice with your T-shirt order. $5 each plus $1 handling. Cups, $2.50 each plus $1 handling. Buttons, $1 each. All profits go ‎the the to the‎ National Bahá’í Fund. Please make checks payable to Kansas DTC Fund and send to Marcia Gitchell, 821 East 14th, Hutchinson, KS 67501. Thank you!

PRESERVE our past for our future ... We are seeking a trustworthy and responsible individual to be assistant archivist in the Archives Department at the Bahá’í National Center. The person selected will help in soliciting collections; will access and process materials including microfilming of materials; supervise researchers and answer reference questions; and help in organizing exhibits. A college degree in a related field is necessary, with experience and/or training in Archives work desirable. A basic knowledge of Bahá’í history and administration is a must. Interested individuals should contact Karen Crenshaw, Department of Human Resources, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, or phone 312-869-9039 immediately to obtain an application and further information. The deadline for inquiries is October 1.

DOVER, Delaware, the only state capital never to have had an Assembly, presently has five adults. Dover, a major city in a rural area, has undergone much recent development, has opportunities for business ventures and such major corporations as DuPont, ICI, General Foods and Playtex. It’s only an hour and a half from Washington, D.C., Baltimore or Philadelphia; one hour to beaches. There are three colleges in the city. For more information please contact Pepper Oldziey, 302-674-5221.

NEW 1985 “Reflections” catalog listing tapes, books, “Mankind Is One” sweatshirts and T-shirts, and other Bahá’í crafts is available from the Louhelen Bahá’í School, 3208 S. State Road, Davison, MI 48423. Phone 313-653-5033.

THE NATIONAL Bahá’í Archives needs an IBM PC but lacks the funds. If anyone is acquiring a new computer and has a used IBM PC that could be donated to the Archives, please contact the National Bahá’í Archives, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091.

NEEDED: pioneers for Indian teaching in North Dakota. A couple, of Persian background, residing in Fargo has offered to help deputize someone or a couple or family to live on or near an Indian Reservation in North Dakota to share the Message of Bahá’u’lláh with the Native Americans. If you are interested, please send a letter of application to the Spiritual Assembly of Fargo, c/o Dr. Mavis Nymon, 203 N. Wood St., Fargo, ND 58102.

BAHÁ’Í scholars and academics are being sought by the West African Centre for Bahá’í Studies, established in 1982 under the auspices of the National Spiritual Assembly of Nigeria with the approval of the Universal House of Justice. The Centre desires to invite Bahá’ís to teach the Faith indirectly by presenting papers in their area of research or interest and, where appropriate, by giving papers directly on the Bahá’í Faith. Lecture tours of various universities can be of any duration. Self-supporting Bahá’ís are the first choice, but some financial support may be offered locally. West Africa is partly French-speaking and partly English-speaking. Tours would be planned according to the language of the lecturer, who might also be involved in proclamation activities with the press and other media. Qualified scholars and academics are invited to send curriculum vitae and other relevant information to the West African Centre for Bahá’í Studies, c/o Mr. Farhang Tahzib, executive secretary, P.O. Box 2029, Lagos, Nigeria. If accepted and you desire to travel to Africa, please contact the International Goals Committee, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091. The committee can also give you a brochure describing the Centre for Bahá’í Studies.

FALL 1985 schedule of programs is available from the Louhelen Bahá’í School, 3208 S. State Road, Davison, MI 48423. Phone 313-653-5033.

NEEDED: Physical therapists, speech and language therapists and nurses to work at a 150-bed residential facility for multi-handicapped patients in Custer, South Dakota, an unfilled Assembly goal from the Five Year Plan in the central Black Hills area. Custer is two hours from the Pine Ridge Reservation, while Wanblee, site of the Amoz Gibson Project, is four hours away. Custer, which enjoys mild summers and winters, is surrounded by lakes, national parks and monuments, and national and state forest preserves. Interested therapists and nurses may phone David and Lynelle Brown, 605-673-3348, or send resumés to Personnel Department, Custer State Hospital, Route 1, Custer, SD 57730.

TRAVELING teachers are needed in Florence, South Carolina, to help win the goal of 100 avowed believers by Riḍván 1986. Bring sleeping bag and car, if possible. For information regarding hospitality, phone Dr. or Mrs. Rassekh, 803-667-8140. Join the spirit of Tabarsi!

HOMEFRONT pioneers are needed in Warner Robins, a city of 40,000 in central Georgia, to help a community with a non-functioning Assembly. There are employment possibilities at Robins Air Force Base, the county hospital, in social services and mental health, and at numerous industries and medical facilities in Macon, a city of 115,000 only 15 minutes away. Three four-year colleges are within a 30-minute drive. Sharing an apartment temporarily with a female homefront pioneer and her sister is possible. For more information, please contact Miss Terri Earl, 102-H Newberry Lane, Warner Robins, GA 31093, or phone 912-922-3819.

HOMEFRONT pioneers are urgently needed in Williamston, North Carolina, where Martin General Hospital needs one or two surgeons. For information, contact Robert L. Barnes, P.O. Box 718, Williamston, NC 27892.

HISTORIC opportunity to take part in consultation and the formation of the first bar association of Bahá’ís. Topics include the legal profession and Bahá’ís, and the role of an anticipated bar association. All who are interested are invited to attend the first conference of Bahá’ís on the legal profession January 10-12, 1986, at the Louhelen Bahá’í School, 3208 S. State Road, Davison, MI 48423 (phone 313-653-5033).

NEEDED: home manager and nanny. A physician at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, needs a mature woman to live in to help run a household and care for children. Prefer someone with grown children, a non-smoker who has her own car. Salary is negotiable; references are required. Durham is a strong Bahá’í community. For details, write to John Cromer, 4017 N. Roxboro St., No. 14, Durham, NC 27701, or phone 919-682-2227.

OCTOBER 1 is the deadline for the writing contest sponsored by the Bahá’í Publishing Trust in honor of the International Year of Youth. Stories (fiction or non-fiction) by youth about youth or by adults about youth are welcome. For editorial requirements and subject areas, please write to Dr. Betty J. Fisher, general editor, Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 415 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091.

ARCHITECT, registered only. Position available working with Reservation, minority owned enterprise in Pierre, South Dakota. Help this goal community at the same time! For information, please phone District Teaching Committee member John Retzlaff, 605-224-1041.

300 education jobs are available in Kansas City, Missouri, which is reorganizing its school system. Many Bahá’í localities goals could be filled at the same time. Send resumé and letter to Personnel Services, 1211 McGee, Kansas City, MO 64106 (phone 816-221-7565). For information about Bahá’í goals in the area, phone the Kansas City Bahá’í Center, 816-241-9478, or the District Teaching Committees for Missouri (Mary Rowe, 816-241-2948) or Kansas (Phyllis Medrano, 316-662-8243).

OKLAHOMA has established a bureau to help homefront pioneers to that state. Pioneers are needed in many localities including Enid, Lawton and Frederick.

See ADS Page 28 [Page 17]

INTERMEDIA

News from the Office of Public Affairs

Busy Bahá’ís

Bahá’ís in Chico, California, presented a proclamation to the mayor and city council condemning the persecutions in Iran. Although the proclamation was denied, local television stations and newspapers carried the story. Besides receiving coverage on KRCR-TV and KHSL-TV, two Bahá’ís appeared on a weekly community service program, “Agenda,” for a 15-minute interview. The local Christian radio station (KEWQ-FM) also aired a 25-minute interview with the Bahá’ís.

George Savitt of Miami, Florida, has already received numerous requests for copies of his newspaper columns as a result of the article that appeared on the media page in June ’85. If you’d like samples of his columns, write directly to George at 100 S.W. 52nd Place, Miami, FL 33134. We couldn’t have said it better, so we may as well quote from his most recent letter: “... alert all Bahá’ís to listen in and to watch the newspapers (especially letters to the editor) for opportunities to publicize the Faith.”

Pamela Dedrick, a Bahá’í Public Information Consultant in Burns, Minnesota, is offering a deepening titled “De-mystifying the Media” for P.I. representatives and others interested in the mass media. It can be presented on a one-to-one basis or in small groups. Not only do we hope that Bahá’ís in Minnesota seize this opportunity to learn about getting greater media coverage, but we hope it will inspire other new consultants around the country to put together their own programs to help communities do the publicity work.

P.I. Consultant John Knowlton in Port Lavaca, Texas, got off to an impressive start (as have many of our new consultants) by publicizing his availability to Bahá’í communities in the Southern Texas District Teaching Committee’s newsletter. He writes that the media materials, “combined with the efforts of the friends in the use of the media to promote the Faith could very well help pave the way in winning some of the remaining goals of the Seven Year Plan and establish a broader use of the media for our future work in the Six Year Plan.”

Heartwarming reports about Public Information Consultant activities are coming in from Iowa, Southern Illinois, Southern California, Michigan, Oklahoma, Maine, Minnesota, Texas, Connecticut and other states.

The Office of Public Affairs was thrilled to see the many clippings about “Victory Month” come in from Kansas! Articles ranged from coverage of various activities to an in-depth article in the Topeka Capital-Journal which published an interview with photos of Judges James and Dorothy Nelson.

The Bahá’ís of Graham, Texas, have demonstrated a thorough and systematic approach to their proclamation activities. In addition to placing newspaper display ads and submitting articles about Holy Days, the Spiritual Assembly has taken out ads in the Graham Concert Association’s season program. They then had a brochure designed and mailed to every resident in their zip code area, along with an invitation to a public meeting advertised on local radio and cable TV stations. A regional teaching conference was held whose speakers included the Hand of the Cause of God Zikrullah Khadem, Counsellor Velma Sherrill and former Counsellor Florence Mayberry. Among the publicity that resulted was a 25-minute interview with Mrs. Mayberry on a morning radio talk show.

Watch for a full report in next month’s issue on the media coverage from the Bahá’í International Youth Conference in Columbus, Ohio.

‘THE RIDDLE’ The “riddle” has resurfaced in the Buffalo News (New York), placed there for a week by the Western New York Bahá’í Office of Public Affairs. Results: 20 requests for literature and 142 calls to which the friends responded with a recorded message. Fifteen of the callers asked to be called back. Requests for literature are predicted if the calls can be answered by volunteers who are able to strike up a conversation with the callers. Because of its success, there are plans to repeat the ad, which reads as follows: ?RIDDLE? ?RIDDLE? There is an empty room with only one chair. Into the room enter Abraham, Moses, Zoroaster, Buddha, Krishna, Jesus Christ, Muhammad, the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh. Who will sit in the chair? Who will sit on the floor? Phone (give local number) between (give hours)

News from around the world

Radio Bahá’í-Bolivia agrees to co-sponsor UNICEF ‘Revolution in Infant Health’ program

**Bolivia

The National Spiritual Assembly of Bolivia reports that Radio Bahá’í of Caracollo has signed an agreement with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to jointly carry out a health program called “Revolution in Infant Health.”

Over a 12-month period, Radio Bahá’í’s staff and facilities will produce, distribute, broadcast, monitor and evaluate a series of radio programs on infant health aimed at rural mothers.

The techniques and practices developed by UNICEF will be put on cassette tapes for an eight-part radio series on such topics as control of respiratory infections, breast feeding, supplementary nutrition, infant immunization, polio and measles prevention, and triple vaccine.

Not only will the station produce the tapes, it will distribute cassettes to 35 mothers’ clubs in its listening area. The project truly demonstrates the power of the media’s role in social and economic development.

**Chile

“Radio Portales” of Santiago broadcasts a cultural program once a week that has become very popular. It’s a panel discussion with two Bahá’í participants who have become the “central stars” of the program, according to a report received from the Continental Board of Counsellors. Each week a different topic such as science, art or culture is related to the Faith.

**Spain

The Bahá’í International News Service reports that the use of media to promote the Faith has increased at an impressive rate in Spain. Bahá’ís have made radio appearances on a number of talk programs, and paid announcements have appeared in a newspaper in Segovia resulting in radio stations phoning local Bahá’ís for interviews. Free spots broadcast regularly on a radio station in Pamplona resulted in a widely-read paper, which was previously reluctant to print Bahá’í information, publishing an article in interview format about the Faith.

**India

The Bahá’í Academy at Panchgani recently completed its 15th course for editors of Bahá’í newsletters and magazines. The course stressed the unique concept of journalism enshrined in the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh.

**Peru

Bahá’í women in Peru now have a publication tailored to their special interests, a bulletin issued for the first time in November 1984 by the National Committee for Women and containing articles such as “The Woman in the Future” and “Faith as a Consciousness of the Sovereignty of God.”

Thanks for clips Thanks for sending us your news clippings. To save time, please: 1. Send only the page(s) on which the article appears. 2. If you cut out the article, be sure it includes the name of the newspaper, day and date. 3. Do not send the entire edition of the newspaper. 4. One copy is sufficient, unless it is from a major publication. We would appreciate five (5) original copies from major publications.

Wide-ranging media effort keys success of Race Unity Day in Decatur, Illinois

This year’s Race Unity Day event in Decatur, Illinois, was accompanied by a media effort that focused on racism as a contagious disease, the theme of a radio public service announcement (PSA) that is available from the National Office of Public Affairs.

LETTERS explaining the purpose of the campaign were sent to radio and TV stations, with special letters sent to the community’s personal media contacts. Press releases and “community calendar” notices were sent to TV and radio stations as well as to three newspapers.

An ad featuring the same message (“Racism”) was run on Saturday and Sunday of Race Unity weekend in The Decatur Herald and Review. As a result, the editor asked to do an article about the campaign and invited the Bahá’ís to write a guest editorial.

WOSY, which aired the PSA, invited the Bahá’ís to appear the following week on its morning talk show.

When the Race Unity Day picnic was held, it was found that of the 14 non-Bahá’ís attending, seven had come as a result of the media exposure.

The weekend events were capped by a series of firesides on the following themes: Unlearning Prejudice: Good Neighbors Come in All Colors; The Roots of Racism—How and Why We Learn to Hate; and Building a Prejudice-Free Society One Heart at a Time.

Firesides were held in various neighborhoods and were publicized in every news release.

Encouraged by the results of the campaign, William Clark, convenor of the Race Unity Committee, said, “Now all we need to do is make our follow-up efforts equally successful.”

Copies of the Fall 1983 issue of Catholic Near East Magazine are still available. Some District Conventions will have copies for sale, or you may place your order through the Office of Public Affairs—great for presenting to your Catholic friends. Ordering information: 50 cents each or 10/$4, 25/$9, 50/$19. Add 10 per cent to total for postage. Make checks payable to ‘Bahá’í Services Fund.’

Colorado’s governor protests persecutions

On June 7, Governor Richard Lamm of Colorado sent letters protesting the persecution of Bahá’ís in Iran to President Ronald Reagan, Secretary of State George Shultz, and UN Secretary-General Perez de Cuellar.

After expressing his sense of outrage over the persecutions, the governor says in his letter, “I urge you, if you have within your means an avenue for action of any consequence, to do whatever you can to put a stop to these crimes.”

UNICEF packets now available

UNICEF packets, with the 1986 UNICEF calendar and other educational multi-cultural materials, are now available from the National Teaching Committee, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091.

The packet is an appropriate gift to school teachers from Bahá’í parents, and helps to establish the child’s Bahá’í identity in the classroom.

The packet costs $7. Checks should be made payable to “Bahá’í Services Fund” and earmarked “UNICEF calendar.” [Page 18]

Complete listing of 1985 District Convention sites

Alabama Northern (1 delegate). Mail ballots to Ramin Yazdi, P.O. Box 9275, University, AL 35486. For location and other information, phone Melisa Gibson, 205-752-1176.

Alabama Southern/Florida Northwestern (1 delegate). Monroeville Community Center, Golf Drive. Mail ballots to Sara Ray, Monroeville, AL 36460. For information phone 904-871-0446.

Arizona Northern (3 delegates). Yavapai College, 1100 E. Sheldon, Prescott. Mail ballots to Ann Stadelman, P.O. Box 803, Cornville, AZ 86325. For information phone 602-634-3987.

Arizona Southern (1 delegate). Northwest Neighborhood Center, 2160 N. 6th Avenue, Tucson. Mail ballots to Molly Duran, Seco, AZ 85710. For information phone 602-742-7324.

Arkansas (1 delegate). Fayetteville High School, 1001 Stone St. Mail ballots to Chris Bodishbaugh, N. Little Rock, AR 72118. For information phone 501-753-7566.

California Central No. 1 (7 delegates). Student Union, College of San Mateo, 1700 W. Hillsdale Blvd. Mail ballots to Donna Betzold, P.O. Box 1175, Redwood City, CA 94064. For information phone 408-265-4128.

California Central No. 2 (1 delegate). Hacienda Inn, 2550 W. Clinton Avenue, Fresno. Mail ballots to Linda Taverner, Bakersfield, CA 93304. For information phone 805-397-7312.

California Northern No. 1 (2 delegates). Placer High School, 275 Orange Avenue, Auburn. Mail ballots to Barbara Stahl, Sacramento, CA 95842. For information phone 916-344-3704.

California Northern No. 2 (1 delegate). Sebastopol Veterans Memorial Building, 282 High St. Mail ballots to Pamela Bryan, Rohnert Park, CA 94928. For information phone 707-584-0679.

California Southern No. 1 (8 delegates). Bateman Hall, 11331 Ernestine Avenue, Lynwood. Mail ballots to Barbara West, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90274. For information phone 213-541-3115.

California Southern No. 2 (3 delegates). Chapman College, 333 N. Glassell, Orange. Mail ballots to Lee Nelson, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675. For information phone 714-768-3895.

California Southern No. 3 (1 delegate). El Camino School, Chestnut at H St., Lompoc. Mail ballots to Corrine Christensen, P.O. Box 257, Lompoc, CA 93438. For information phone 805-962-1097.

California Southern No. 4 (3 delegates). Tentative location: Peterson Hall, University of California at San Diego. Mail ballots to Roya Taraz, San Diego, CA 92120. For information and to confirm location phone 619-286-2897.

Colorado Northeastern (1 delegate). Arapahoe Community College, 5900 S. Santa Fe Drive, Littleton. Mail ballots to Richard Dodge, Englewood, CO 80027. For information phone 303-985-5251.

Colorado Southeastern (1 delegate). Tentative location: Science Building, Austin Bluff Parkway, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Mail ballots to Judy Barnes, Colorado Springs, CO 80909. For information and to confirm location phone 303-593-8833.

Colorado Western (1 delegate). Evans Public School, corner of 1st and West Avenue, Alamosa. Mail ballots to Rick Zillich, CO 81144. For information phone 303-589-3217.

Connecticut (1 delegate). Woodbridge Senior Center (“The Center”), Meetinghouse Lane, Woodbridge. Mail ballots to Janet Rothman, W. Hartford, CT 06117. For information phone 203-387-4231.

DelMarVa (1 delegate). Delmar Fire Hall, B-State Blvd. and Grove St., Delmar, Delaware. Mail ballots to Fereydoon Behdin, Salisbury, MD 21801. For information phone 301-835-2967.

Florida Central (1 delegate). Harley Hotel, 151 E. Washington St., Orlando. Mail ballots to Fran Czerniejewski, Longwood, FL 32750. For information phone 305-898-9432.

Florida Northern (1 delegate). Palm Room, Florida A&M University, S. Adams St., Tallahassee. Mail ballots to Alice Kimble, Tallahassee, FL 32303. For information phone 904-562-3727.

Florida Southeastern (3 delegates). Spanish River High School, 5100 Jog Road, Boca Raton. Mail ballots to Carolyn Wells, Boca Raton, FL 33428. For information phone 305-482-0474.

Florida Southwestern (1 delegate). Gulfport Community Center, 5730 Shore Blvd. South. Mail ballots to Perry Rock, Winter Haven, FL 33880. For information phone 813-323-0474.

Georgia Northeastern (1 delegate). Department of Physical Therapy, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta. Mail ballots to Sandy Jasnau, Milledgeville, GA 31061. For information phone 912-452-2818 (weekends: 404-485-8137).

Georgia Northwestern (3 delegates). Martin Luther King Jr. Center, 450 Auburn Avenue N.E., Atlanta. Mail ballots to Jamshid Sobhani, Atlanta, GA 30328. For information phone 404-458-1592.

Georgia Southern (3 delegates). Days Inn on Bay St., 201 W. Bay St., Savannah. Mail ballots to Theolia Kirkland, Savannah, GA 31401. For information phone 912-236-2257.

Idaho Northern/Washington Eastern (1 delegate). Chief Moses Junior High School, 1517 S. Pioneer Way, Moses Lake. Mail ballots to K. Shaw, P.O. Box 443, Moses Lake, WA 98837. For information phone 509-375-1529.

Idaho Southern (1 delegate). Burley Inn, 800 N. Overland Avenue, Burley. Mail ballots to Scott Hendryx, Boise, ID 83702. For information phone 208-384-1262.

Illinois Northern No. 1 (2 delegates). Hilton Inn, 306 S. Lincolnway (Route 31 & East-West Tollway), North Aurora. Mail ballots to Judy Moe, Rockford, IL 61103. For information phone 815-338-5687.

Illinois Northern No. 2 (3 delegates). Foundation Hall, Bahá’í House of Worship, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette. Mail ballots to Marcia Lample, Evanston, IL 60202. For information phone 312-864-8083.

Illinois Southern (2 delegates). Public Affairs Building, Shepherd Road, Sangamon State University, Springfield. Mail ballots to Robert Hogan, Springfield, IL 62704. For information phone 217-546-8600.

Indiana (1 delegate). Greenfield High School, 810 N. Broadway. Mail ballots to Joyce Sylvester, Indianapolis, IN 46201. For information phone 317-248-9099.

Iowa (1 delegate). Camp Hantessa, R.R. 1, Boone. Mail ballots to Murray Elmore, Bettendorf, IA 52722. For information phone 319-351-5296.

Kansas (1 delegate). Hubbard Hall, Wichita State University. Mail ballots to Susan Bishop, Derby, KS 67037. For information phone 316-788-5378.

Kentucky (1 delegate). Frankfort High School, 328 Shelby St. Mail ballots to Changiz Geula, Nicholasville, KY 40356. For information phone 606-887-4144.

Louisiana Northern (1 delegate). Bahá’í Center and Library, 1550 C Gilbert Avenue, Shreveport. Mail ballots to Muriel Edgerton, Alexandria, LA 71301. For information phone 318-222-2107.

Louisiana Southern (1 delegate). Joan’s Day Care Center, 1708 Carrollwood Drive, LaPlace. Mail ballots to Ric Hutchens, Baton Rouge, LA 70819. For information phone 504-272-0286.

Maine (1 delegate). Multi-Purpose Center, 145 Birch St., Lewiston. Mail ballots to Lisa J. Cheney, Augusta, ME 04330. For information phone 207-623-2340.

Maryland Western/Washington, D.C. (2 delegates). Decker Center, Western Maryland College, Westminster. Mail ballots to Peter Gorelick, Frederick, MD 21701. For information phone 301-552-2680.

Massachusetts (3 delegates). Holyoke Community College, 303 Homestead Drive. Mail ballots to Michael Hoffman, Milford, MA 01757. For information phone 617-755-4479.

Michigan Mainland (3 delegates). Northeast Junior High School, 1400 Fuller N.E., Grand Rapids. Mail ballots to Spiritual Assembly of Grand Rapids, P.O. Box 1112, Grand Rapids, MI 49501. For information phone 616-361-7996.

Minnesota Northern (1 delegate). Chase on the Lake, Walker. Mail ballots to Cheri Stephens, Walker, MN 56484. For information phone 218-751-0317.

Minnesota Southern (1 delegate). Hennepin County Court Center, 300 S. 6th St., Minneapolis. Mail ballots to Ali Mahabadi, Apple Valley, MN 55422. For information phone 612-944-8189.

Mississippi (1 delegate). Group Camp, Roosevelt State Park, Morton. Mail ballots to Virginia Johnson, Madison, MS 39110. For information phone 601-856-4658.

Missouri (2 delegates). University Center East, Centennial Hall, University of Missouri-Rolla. Mail ballots to Richard Meier, Rolla, MO 65401. For information phone 314-635-0320.

Montana (1 delegate). YWCA, 907 Wyoming, Billings. Mail ballots to Gaylene Jones, Billings, MT 59105. For information phone 406-259-9402.

Navajo-Hopi (1 delegate). Native American Bahá’í Institute, 1/2-mile east of Burntwater Trading Post, Pine Springs Road, Houck. Mail ballots to Peg Franz, Smith Lake, NM 87365. For information phone 505-786-5513.

Nebraska (1 delegate). Nebraska Youth Leadership Development Center, Route 2, East Highway 34, Aurora. Mail ballots to Wenda Eckerson, Aurora, NE 68818. For information phone 402-694-5925.

Nevada Northern (1 delegate). Ormsby House, 600 S. Carson St., Carson City. Mail ballots to Mrs. Flavia Harris, Fallon, NV 89406. For information phone 702-329-2112.

Nevada Southern (1 delegate). Paradise Community Center, 4770 Harrison Drive, Las Vegas. Mail ballots to Carolyn Hensley, Las Vegas, NV 89106. For information phone 702-385-7650.

New Hampshire (1 delegate). McConnell Hall, University of New Hampshire, Durham. Mail ballots to Patricia McHale, Portsmouth, NH 03801. For information phone 603-434-0152.

New Jersey (2 delegates). Busch Campus Student Center, Rutgers University, Davidson Road, Piscataway. Mail ballots to David Rosser, N. Plainfield, NJ 07060. For information phone 201-754-9308.

New Mexico Northern (1 delegate). Taos Community Auditorium, S. Pueblo Road. Mail ballots to Shahab Omidvaran, Albuquerque, NM 87112. For information phone 505-471-7762.

New Mexico Southern/Texas Western (3 delegates). Ruidoso, New Mexico. Mail ballots to Don Rawhouser, Ruidoso, NM 88345. For information phone 505-434-1619.

New York Eastern (4 delegates). P.S. _____ New York City. Mail ballots to Artis Williams, Bronx, NY 10466. For information phone 516-669-9312.

New York Western (2 delegates). Rochester Institute of Technology, 1 Lomb Memorial Drive. Mail ballots to Majid Rabbaní, Rochester, NY 14618. For information phone 716-442-6551.

North Carolina Central (2 delegates). Gibbs Hall, Market & Laurel Sts., N.C. A&T State University, Greensboro. Mail ballots to Scott Koehler, Greensboro, NC 27407. For information phone 919-629-0534.

North Carolina Eastern (2 delegates). Poe Hall, Yarborough Drive, N.C. State University, Raleigh. Mail ballots to Eric Johnson, Raleigh, NC 27606. For information phone 919-446-5889.

North Carolina Western (2 delegates). Jefferson Elementary School, 1166 Wyke Road, Shelby. Mail ballots to Robert Pickering, Morganton, NC 28655. For information phone 704-433-4407.

North Dakota (1 delegate). Jamestown Civic Center, 212 3rd Avenue N.E. Mail ballots to Bob Rice, Jamestown, ND 58401. For information phone 701-252-9522.

Ohio Northern (2 delegates). Baker Hall, Adelbert Road and Euclid Avenue, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland. Mail ballots to Marjorie McCabe, Chagrin Falls, OH 44022. For information phone 216-247-6102.

Ohio Southern (1 delegate). John Bryant Community Center, 100 Dayton St., Yellow Springs. Mail ballots to Lorraine Turner, Drive, Huber Heights, OH 45424. For information phone 513-236-6030.

Oklahoma Eastern (1 delegate). Oliphant Hall, 600 S. College, Tulsa University. Mail ballots to Steven Smith, P.O. Box 251, Tulsa, OK 74101. For information phone 918-838-1873.

Oklahoma Western (1 delegate). Center for Christian Renewal, 7501 N.W. Expressway, Oklahoma City. Mail ballots to Rudy Koskie, Edmond, OK 73034. For information phone 405-495-1081.

Oregon Eastern (1 delegate). The Vert, S.W. 4th St., Pendleton. Mail ballots to Mary Thompson, P.O. Box 447, Helix, OR 97835. For information phone 503-276-1868.

Oregon Western (4 delegates). Les Sels Stewart Center, Oregon State University, Corvallis. Mail ballots to Auli Krayem, P.O. Box 309, Corvallis, OR 97339. For information phone 503-394-3914.

Pennsylvania Eastern (1 delegate). Pottstown Senior High School, Adams and Jackson Sts. Mail ballots to John Mayer, P.O. Box 106, Gilbertsville, PA 19525. For information phone 215-323-5563.

Pennsylvania Western (1 delegate). Sheraton Penn State, 240 S. Pugh St., State College. Mail ballots to Sally Cordova, State College, PA 16803. For information phone 814-643-0428.

Rhode Island (1 delegate). Rhode Island State Police Lodge 25, 88 Compton Road, East Greenwich. Mail ballots to Brenda Robitaille, Pawtucket, RI 02860. For information phone 401-467-3419.

South Carolina Central (4 delegates). Columbia Jr. College, 3810 N. Main St. Mail ballots to Shohrea Vafai, West Columbia, SC 29169. For information phone 803-536-0401.

South Carolina Eastern No. 1 (7 delegates). Center Theater, 212 N. 5th St., Hartsville. Mail ballots to Bobby Ellis, Darlington, SC 29532. For information phone 803-662-0662.

South Carolina Eastern No. 2 (6 delegates). Louis G. Gregory Bahá’í Institute, Hemingway. Mail ballots to Shamsi Sedaghat, c/o Louis Gregory Bahá’í Institute, Hemingway, SC 29554. For information phone 803-558-5093.

South Carolina Northern (2 delegates). YMCA Family Center, 266 S. Pine St., Spartanburg. Mail ballots to Frances Sadler, Spartanburg, SC 29303. For information phone 803-582-0562.

South Carolina Southern No. 1 (2 delegates). Holiday Inn-Airport, I-26 and Airport, North Charleston. Mail ballots to Jacquelyn Jones, Charleston, SC 29407. For information phone 803-571-2912.

South Carolina Southern No. 2 (2 delegates). Dale Elementary School, Dale. Mail ballots to Jannet Wilson, P.O. Box 1958, Beaufort, SC 29901. For information phone 803-524-3191.

South Carolina Western (1 delegate). Rice Center, 403 Jefferson Avenue, Anderson. Mail ballots to Arleen Wiley, Greenville, SC 29615. For information phone 803-288-8276.

South Dakota (2 delegates). Martin Grade School, 5th Road and Pugh St., Martin. Mail ballots to Robert Haugen, Rapid City, SD 57705. For information phone 605-342-3562.

Tennessee Eastern (1 delegate). Rodeway Inn, 323 Cedar Bluff Road, Knoxville. Mail ballots to Spiritual Assembly of Knox County, P.O. Box 22381, Knoxville, TN 37922. For information phone 615-691-3831. [Page 19]

A brief exposure to colloquial Persian

“Acquire the Persian tongue, so as to learn of the meanings of the divine words and to know the divine mysteries, to develop an eloquent speech and to translate the blessed Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh. The Persian language shall become noteworthy in this cycle; nay, rather the people shall study it in all the world.” (Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, v. II, p. 306). Below are some colloquial pronunciations of words you might recognize or wish to use with your Persian friends at the next Nineteen Day Feast (ZeeAfat).

Persian (Farsi)	English
Allá-ho-abhá!	Alláh’u’Abhá!
hAleh shomA chetoreh?	How are you?
khoobam, mersee.	I am well, thank you.
esmeh shomA cheest?	What is your name?
esmeh man ______ ast.	My name is ______.
man torA doost dAram.	I love (like) you.
bacheh-hA chetorand?	How are your children?
zeeAfat kay eh?	When is the Feast?
emrooz / fardA.	Today / tomorrow.
havA khaylee sard (garm) eh.	The weather is very cold (warm).
befarmaeed.	Please (take some, have a seat ...)
man Bahá’í am.	I am a Bahá’í.
baleh / na.	Yes / no.
khoob / bad.	Good / bad.
chi meekhi? sheereenee?	Do you want some tea? Sweets?
gahveh, shekar, sheer.	Coffee, sugar, milk.
monAjAt.	Prayer.
ketAb, lowh (low-he-ahmad).	Book, Tablet (Tablet of Ahmad).
tamoom shod.	It is finished, all gone, over.
man.	Me, I.
shomA.	You.
oo.	He, she, him, her.
mA.	We, us.
oonhA.	They, them.
mahfel-eh-roHanee.	Spiritual Assembly.
mahfel-eh-mellee.	National Assembly.
baytol-adl.	Universal House of Justice.
rezvAn.	Ridván.
ayAm-e-hA.	Ayyám-i-Há.
no rooz.	Naw-Rúz.
hoqoo-qo-lAh.	Huqúqu’lláh.
Jamal-e-Mobarak.	The Blessed Beauty (Bahá’u’lláh).
shab beh khayr / sob beh khayr.	Good night / good morning.
khodA HAfez (khodAfez).	Goodbye.
khosh Amadeed!	Welcome!

PRONUNCIATION CODE

Vowels:

• A (upper case) as in Father.
• a as in bat.
• ay as in Day.
• i as in High.
• ee as in See.
• e as in bed.
• oo as in Food.
• o as in Toe.

Consonants: kh as in Loch or Bach. Q is a hard clicking (velarized) sound not found in European languages. It is a kind of cross between K and the hard G. H is aspirated slightly more than in English. The other consonants have about the same value as in English. Most multisyllable words in Persian are accented on the last syllable (e.g., rez-VÁN).

به جوانان عزیز شرکت کننده در کنفرانس بین المللی جوانان بهائی تقدیم میکنم

DEDICATED TO THE YOUTH AT THE INTERNATIONAL YOUTH CONFERENCE

دوستان جوان قیام کنید روز را عاشقانه شام کنید با محبت به دشمنان عنود در کمال ادب سلام کنید

روز روز شما بود امروز فصل حق با شما بود امروز ای جوانان امید ما به شما است انتظار شدید ما به شما است

تا بمیدان خدمت و تبلیغ اسب و میدان و گو بدست شما است همتی عاشقانه باید کرد خدمتی صادقانه باید کرد

بشتابید وقت همکاری است عاشقان موقع فداکاری است خفتگان را دهید مژده که دوش مژده دادند وقت بیداری است

این جهان مبتلا به رنج و بلاست درد دنیا دوای نزد شما است ای جوان عزیز ایرانی رسم خدمت تو خوب میدانی

تو بمیدان هجرت و تبلیغ یکه‌تاز و حریف میدانی خیز و کن جنبشی که تا دانند با شهیدان شهیدی و مانند

دختران شهید شیرازی که ندارند مثل و انبازی باز کردند صفحه زرین ثبت کردند قدر جانبازی

همه مثل شما جوان بودند همه‌دارای خانمان بودند او سر دار با بها فرمود خون خود در رهش فدا فرمود

تا که دنیا ز حق شود آگاه راه باطل ز حق جدا فرمود نواز او بند گیر ای فرزند ره همان رو که رهروان رفتند

چون او باز راه خدمت کرد شجر امر را سقایت کرد تا شود بارور درخت نجات در سلا صبر و استقامت کرد

آتش عشق را ز نو افروخت درس دلدادگی بما آموخت خون پاکان مهد امرالله کرد آگاه قوم ناآگاه

گرچه خونها به شرق می ریزد جلوه در غرب میکند ناگاه تو بیا خیر و شرح جان‌بازی با ذکر از زنان شیرازی

ای جوان دور دور خدمت تو است گاه تبلیغ و وقت صحبت تو است گوش کن تا چه گفته است نعیم این سخن موجب سعادت تو است

ما نکردیم خدمتی بسزا دیده ما در انتظار شما تا تو را موقعیتی است بکوش تا که شوریت در سراست بجوش

این سخن را بگیر اندر گوش تا نگردیده آتشت خاموش افتخاری بر از این میدان تا بمانی همیشه شاد و جوان

کلمبوس - اوهایو ۴ جولای ۱۹۸۵ حسن امان

تشکر و قدردانی

GRATEFUL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

در طول دو ماه گذشته دفتر لجنه امور احبای ایرانی/آمریکائی از مساعدت داوطلبین عزیزی که از تعطیل سالیانه خود استفاده کرده و برای زیارت مشرق‌الاذکار به شیکاگو تشریف فرما شده بودند بهره‌مند بوده است. از جمله این اشخاص جناب روحانی جناب استیون مداراشی از ایالت اوهایو بودند که قبل از کنفرانس بین‌المللی جوانان مدتی دو هفته به خدمت در این دفتر پرداخته و کارهای بایگانی و بعضی امور اداری دیگر را انجام میدادند. همچنین جناب یوسف ویژه و قرینه محترمه‌شان پس از اتمام کنفرانس مدت دو هفته به تنظیم و ترتیب پرونده‌ها و سوابق موجود در این دفتر پرداختند و کمکهای ذیقیمتی به پیشرفت امور نمودند. این نفوس فداکار باعث شد که مقادیر متنابهی از لحاظ نیروی انسانی برای دفتر امور احبای ایرانی/آمریکائی و در نتیجه صندوق محفل مقدس روحانی ملی صرفه‌جوئی شود. علاوه بر اینها صمیمیت و صفا و خلوص این یاران گرامی رونق خاصی به دارالانشاء محفل ملی بخشیده بود و موجب تشویق و تحریص همکاران بود. لجنه از این یاران و کلیه دوستانی که به طرق مختلف در تسریع کارهای دفتر مساعدت میفرمایند کمال تشکر و امتنان را دارد.

کنفرانس جهانی نسوان در آفریقا

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S CONFERENCE IN AFRICA

در کنفرانس جهانی نسوان که از ۱۵ تا ۲۶ جولای ۱۹۸۵ در نایروبی در کشور کنیا منعقد گردیده بود در حدود ۱۴۰۰۰۰ نفر شرکت کرده بودند که ۲۰۰۰ نفر آنان را نمایندگان ۱۴۰ کشور مختلف و ۱۸۰ نفر نیز نماینده‌های سازمانهای غیردولتی منجمله جامعه جهانی بهائی تشکیل میداد. کلیه شرکت‌کنندگان برنامه‌ها و طرحهائی را که توسط سازمان ملل متحد مخصوص جامعه نسوان تهیه و تدوین شده بود ارزیابی نموده و پیشرفتها و موفقیتهای این جامعه را در عرض ده سال گذشته مورد بررسی و تبادل نظر قراردادند و با تفاق آراء طرح "نهضت صلح توسط جامعه جهانی نسوان در سال ۱۹۸۵" را تصویب و تایید نمودند. ۴۵ نفر از بانوان جامعه جهانی بهائی منجمله خانم دکتر مادلین کاس را که عضو مقررات دایره‌التبلیغ بین‌المللی، خانم دکتر آلبرتا دیبران و خانم فیلی اعضاء محترم محافل روحانیه ملی ایالات متحده و کانادا در این کنفرانس شرکت کرده بودند با ‎انعاد انعقاد‎ جلسات تبلیغی و هنری از طریق جراید و رادیو آمریکا نام جامعه بهائی را به گوش جهانیان رساندند. از جمله در مقاله ای که در صفحه اول یکی از روزنامه‌های انتشار یافته به اشاره بیانات جناب طاهره هنگام شهادتشان شده بود که "...هر چند شما قادر ‎بد بودید‎ در هر حال حاضر ‎ما به قتل ما را به قتل‎ برسانید ولی هرگز نخواهید توانست آزادی نسوان را متوقف سازید".

میدان خدمت

FIELD OF SERVICE

بین‌المللی: بیت‌العدل اعظم الهی از جامعه بهائیان آمریکا خواسته‌اند که ۴ مهاجر به کشور آرژانتین اعزام دارند که بجای مهاجرینی که مجبور به ترک کشور شده‌اند خدمت کنند. برای اطلاعات بیشتر با لجنه اهداف بین‌المللی تماس حاصل فرمایید.

داخلی: در شهر Florence در ایالت South Carolina به تعدادی داوطلب جهت مسافرتهای تبلیغی احتیاج است. کودکان ساکن ۱۹ منطقه از مناطق سرخ پوستان در ایالت South Dakota از داشتن کتابهای مناجات و کلاسهای درس اخلاق بی بهره‌اند. جهت اطلاعات بیشتر مندرج در نشریه امریکن بهائی مراجعه فرمایید. [Page 20]

در باره زندگی شهیدان

ای اشک حسرت بریز، انگشت فرو به دندان بگز که اگر راه دهم قافله در کل برود حیرانم برای آنکه در کنار ما بودند و قدر آنها ندانستیم .

فرشتگان لاهوت، ملائک ملکوت در کنار ما بودند، هوشمند با هوشکار، بهیکل عنصری در کنار ما محشور، ناآلوده با ما مونس بودند، لب به لب با ما هم کلام و قدح بدست، همپیاله و همدم با ما در میکده بودند با ما در راه قدم برداشتند و در آسمان معرفت با ما هم پرواز بودند . اما ما ندانستیم، ما غافل ماندیم و آنها تند و تیز آهنگ ملکوت کردند . سبکبالان بال و پر بگشودند در فضای فرحبخش لاهوت با نغمه ملکوتی به پرواز درآمدند و ما خاکیان در حضیض دور ماندیم، بدور از جوانی بهار عصر ، آنگاه که هر جوانی بکام بمیخانه ای پناه برده ما مستی می بینیم اما بپای میکده مستکریم . جوانی در زمره دوستان عزیز تر از دل و جان می بینیم ، ظریف اندام ، لطیف انفاس ، با آغوش باز و پرشور، مصمم ، منور ، شجاع ، بردبار ، متقی و عاشق . با آتشی که دل بیدریغ بسوخته بود ، کوشید بصدق تا دو عالم عشق را بیکجا ریخت . چقدر زود محشور می شد، آن جوانی که در اوان جوانی بصحنه هستی قدم گذاشت با آن روی زیبا و موی مشکین همت والای او در ملکوت وحدت بسلسله عشق پاک و لایزال او پیوست ، با رویی خندان و قلبی سرشار از صفا و صمیمیت ، با اراده آهنین بروی میدان آمده بودند . افسانه نبودند و فریاد سحر زدند با تبر تفرقه و هر چه غیر او بود را برای ابد منسوخ کردند و دنیا را و استانی جدید بخشیدند . عنوان هوشنگ و ژینوس با یاد کار کنان نیست . زوجی که قلم و قلمرو را بجان و دل روانی کردند و بصدای ملکوت بلند و روزگار کوشیدند . عاشق خدای گونه ای که قامت هوشنگ محمودی را در میادین خدمت دیدیم که بموقف بقا خاکی را رها کرده و سالیان خدمت و ‎منسب منصب‎ و زرق و برق زندگی را فدا کرده بود . او که با تمام وجود و از صمیم دل جان خود را در فدا مدام دوست داشته بود و علناً اذعان و اعلام کرد که : "اگر بوجودم بدل بد کردید و چون خط سواد جسم زهر می گشت برم یا رگ و پی خون غذای اژدها بود و آرزوی او بود، واقعاً تسلیم بود ، چرا که برای امر الهی با تمام وجود جانفشانی کرده و لحظات حیات را در وفای مولای انوری زندگانی می کرد. "جنات" را در وصال و موت می دانست و مرگ را رابطه ای پاک با ابدی و بقای لایزالی می دید و با هر شهادت گفت که : "عفا ا... عما سلف" یا رفع نقص گناه ، تا به رمضان شهادت رسید و جوانه های استقامت را تا آنجا که دو جلد کتاب "شهدا" درباره حیات سی سال خدمت هوشنگ محمودی می نویسد که در عین حال مثالی مؤثر و جذاب برای دیگران بود .

هوشنگ محمودی با هوشی محمود ولی ناتوان از مهر، عده ای را برای طیران مهیای فدا خانه نمود . او که مدال خدمت خود را در داخل و خارج ایران با ثبات و منادی شد ، همان اوان جوانی بعنوان منور کردن راه آرزو براه افتاد و گروهی را ‎بصحانه بصحنه‎ وحدت و حقیقت آشنا نمود . ناشناس بود اما شناخته شد، و سر منشاء مدام در طی طریق راه نوین با صبر و حلم و استقامت و بردباری با سربلندی در مقابل خصم بد منش و ستمگر و با شجاعت ایستاد و مایه مباهات و افتخار ما شد . ای کاش را از صورت بگرفته بودیم و همت والای او را سرمشق خود می نهادیم .

و با نقض جامع درس رشته ما حسبتاً لله شد . یکی از مسؤولین خوش سخن انجمن بهائی بود و ‎بحرات بجرات‎ مسئولان اظهار کرد که در باز پس و برای حل مشکلاتی که برای بهائیان ایجاد گشته در خود گذشتگی محض باید معتقد بود تا جایی که قبول خدمت در تشکیلات امری پر مخاطره و نامطلوب است برای بهائیان ، لذا بهر تیمی با آن روحانی در محفل مقدس ملی شد . او با علاقه و روحیه و آرزوی خدمت در راه حق بصورت لحظه ای سستی و قصوری برایش نبود . سلاحی نداشت جز سلاح زبان و منطق و در کوره ستم در راه ملکوت ملک وحدت با عشق به مولا سوخت و نور بر گرفت . همیشه در تلاش و جنبش ، همت والایی داشت و کمر را بروی خدمت بست و هر کجا که خطر بیشتر بود گام نهاد و کمیا برای نور و برای استمداد در سراسر گیتی بسیاری از ما متن نامه های تقدیر و تشکر از هوشنگ محمودی را دیدیم که به شیوه های مختلف نامه های مهرآمیز را با صدای پر طنین ضبط شده و با مطالب : "بسم الله الابهى" "يا منور القلوب بنور الایمان" را مشاهده نمودیم و مکتوب نامه های انشاالله تعالی "شنیده ایم اما در واقعیت امر با چشم خود دیدیم که رتبه والا در این بقعه پلاه وارد شده و با خلوصی برای نفوذ هر چه بیشتر در جان مستمع ادا می کنند .

هوشنگ محمودی خوش ذوق، خوش سخن، سخنگویی ظریف بودند و صدایی دلکش و جانی شریف بود، آنقدر جویند و کوشند تا بوصال هر دو معشوق رسند . آری هوشنگ و ژینوس با هم آشنا گشتند و هوشنگ و ژینوس با هم به میدان عشق پرواز نمودند . با وجود آنکه با ژینوس عزیز هر دو چون یک روح در دو کالبد بودند در اوج احتراق بقدری غرق در خدمت شدند که کمتر فرصت مصاحبت می یافتند . اما هر دو در کنار یکدیگر با عشق بمحبت حق برفتند. هر دو هم پیمان با هم در ره یکدیگر پیمان وفای الهی بستند و از مجلس مخلل مشرک تلخ زندگانی آزاد شدند و همواره در فکر بهبود ریخته شد و ژینوس که کبوتر صلح با هم پیمان خود در چنگ شکنجه دیدگان تست تسلیم رضای دوست شد و جان را با مسعود شکوهمند سپرد. مجموع و آسایش بخش گست هستی را بیکجا به سرد نمودند . همه در میدان شد . بهر نقطه ای را بر آن نهادند و برای تسکین خاطر مریضان و بازماندگان بی پناه مظهر مکشوف شدن سه همدم اسمی که در کمین بودند، اسم نام برده شد و در میدان دوستی با مفاخرات اعلام شد و جانی بر لب آمد و خون سرد را برای خدمت تقدیم کرد و همواره با پختگی که بزودی به آمال خود رسیم خواهیم خواست و جانی که به امر او فدا شد راه کمال را در بر خود باز نمود . هوشنگ و ژینوس هر دو بمثال یک نگار معشوق مشترک شدند که بساطی آغشته به خون سرخ و رنگین را آراستند . آری راه این دو طایر بهشتی با عشق و حیرت و بصیرت شروع شد و با حلاوتی در آغوش ابدی در عمق دریا بله اسرا روان شدند و در غل و زنجیر و زندان ، دو موجود محبوب ، دو عزیز و دو یار وفادار هوشنگ و ژینوس ، با باده خدمت و وفای الهی با شانه های بسته و بادبان در دل دو طایر و دو طایر با شانه های باز با آغوش باز به استقبال از مرگ در نهایت جلال و افتخار برفتند .

پناهندگان در اتریش

در پاسخ بسؤالات متعدد و مکرر دوستان عزیز در مورد وضع امور و مشکلات موجود در حال حاضر در اتریش بجهت پناهندگان بهائی باید بعرض برسانیم که امور اتریش هم افت دارد و هم مشکلاتش را محدود ننموده بسیار دشوار میباشد چه که مقامات بهائی در اتریش اعلام داشته اند که با وجود بیش از 1500 نفر پناهنده که اکثراً بدون ویزای اتریش از ایران خارج شده اند برای یک جامعه کم تعداد بهائی در اتریش باری است فوق العاده سنگین و طاقت فرسا . از طرفی دولت اتریش هم مالیاتهای سنگین بابت هزینه پناهندگان از کلیه سازمانهای نیکوکار خیریه دریافت میکند لذا برای اداره این تعداد زیاد پناهنده مبالغ هنگفتی احتیاج میباشد که از عهده محفل اتریش خارج است . بنابراین از کلیه احبا خواهش میشود که تا اطلاع ثانوی بهیچ عنوان بدون ویزای رسمی از مقامات مربوطه به اتریش سفر نکنند زیرا مشکلات مادی و معنوی طاقت فرسائی در بر خواهد داشت .

نکته قابل توجه آنست که متأسفانه مشاهده شده است که عده ای از دوستان بدون هماهنگی به اتریش رفته اند که این امر مشکلات عدیده ای فراهم نموده است لذا از دوستان با کمال جدیت و وفاداری تقاضا میشود جداً از سفر بدون ویزا به اتریش خودداری ورزند .

مسئولیت رسیدگی به مشکلات پناهندگان در کشورهای مختلف بعهده محافل ملی است که با هماهنگی محفل ملی ایران و با رعایت موازین معینه توسط بیت العدل اعظم به وظایف خود قیام مینمایند ، لذا از دوستان و یاران باوفا که قصد مهاجرت و مسافرت به خارج را دارند تقاضا می شود بهیچوجه بدون هماهنگی و دستورات لازم از طرف کمیته های خاصی که به این منظور تشکیل شده اند اقدام ننموده و حتى الامکان از خارج شدن بدون کسب اجازه خودداری کنند تا از مشکلات عدیده ای که هم اکنون در سر راه دوستان است برکنار بمانند .

در خاتمه بقرار اطلاع عده کثیری از پناهندگان در اردوگاههای پناهندگان بسر میبرند و با وجود سختیها و ناملایمات جسمی و روحی با صبری جمیل و عشقی سرشار با یاد بهاء ابهی ایام را میگذرانند .

برای این دوستان عزیز و ایثارگرمان آرزوی موفقیت و پایداری در راه خدمت به امر الهی را داریم .

FOR A DROP OF THE LOVERS’ BLOOD
بجای قطره‌ای از خون عاشق به قیمت 45 دلار با اضافه 3 دلار هزینه پست در اختیار علاقمندان قرار گرفته است . طالبین میتوانند چک خود را به صندوق ملی بهائیان آمریکا با آدرس مندرج در ذیل ارسال دارند . کلیه مبالغ واصله به این منظور متعلق به صندوق پناهندگان بهائی میباشد .

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اعلان‌ات

در هفته‌های اخیر عده‌ای از یاران روحانی بوسیله تلفن یا نامه به دایره روابط عمومی ملی مراجعه و در مورد شایعاتی مبنی بر اینکه قرار است بزودی یک نشریه بزبان فارسی در این کشور منتشر شود کسب تکلیف نموده‌اند. بدینوسیله به عموم احباء اعلام می‌گردد که هدف محفل مقدس روحانی ملی رسیدن به مرحله‌ای است که کلیه انتشارات فارسی مورد نیاز یاران در تمام آمریکا بصورت هماهنگ و با تأیید و تحت نظارت محفل ملی چاپ و انتشار یابد. در حال حاضر کمیته انتشارات محفل ملی با جدیت و پشت‌کار تمام سرگرم کار بر روی طرح کلی این قبیل انتشارات است و اطمینان داشته باشید که نتیجه کار به احسن وجه در فصول آینده به آگاهی یاران خواهد رسید. لذا مقتضی است که یاران از پرداختن به هر نوع شایعه در مورد انتشارات جداً خودداری فرمایند. ضمناً یادآوری می‌گردد که مقالات ارسالی از طرف احباء بایستی در کمیته‌های مذکور مورد مطالعه قرار گیرد و یاران از فرستادن مستقیم مقالات به نشریات پرهیز نمایند. در این صورت از هر گونه پراکندگی در کارهای انتشاراتی جلوگیری خواهد شد.

کارکنان دفتر محفل روحانی ملی استدعا دارند مکاتباتی که از دوستان ایرانی دریافت می‌گردد در صورتی که به زبان انگلیسی باشد، صرفاً جهت ترجمه به دفتر محفل ملی ارسال نگردد بلکه امکان آن در نظر باشد که دوستان مسئول و یا کسانی که به زبان انگلیسی تسلط دارند زحمت ترجمه آنها را متقبل شوند و تنها در صورتی که ترجمه محلی مقدور نباشد به دفتر محفل ملی ارسال شود. در صورتی که فرستنده نامه‌ای را با ترجمه آن ارسال نموده باشد، محفل ملی زحمت ترجمه مجدد نخواهد داشت.

لذا تقاضا می‌شود که دوستان محترم حتی‌المقدور خود با تلاش‌های شخصی نسبت به ترجمه محتویات محافل ملی و محفل محلی خود به زبان انگلیسی اقدام نمایند تا هم در وقت صرفه‌جویی شده و هم پیام دوستان با سرعت بیشتری منتشر گردد. ضمناً دوستان می‌توانند با پیشنهادهای خود و یا با دوستان سخنور خود در این زمینه جهت تسهیل و کمک و مساعدت به این برنامه اقدام و تسهیل کار کارکنان دفتر محفل ملی را فراهم فرمایند.

پیام بیت العدل اعظم الهی

MESSAGE OF UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE 11 JULY 1985

مورخ ۱۱ جولای ۱۹۸۵ با کمال مسرت افتتاح دفتر اطلاعات عمومی در مرکز جهانی امر را اعلام می‌داریم. تشکیل این دفتر سرآغاز مرحله جدیدی در روابط میان جامعه بهائی و ملل عالم خواهد بود. شعبه این دفتر جدید و واحد هماهنگ کننده جهانی آن در شهر نیویورک ایجاد شد. هدف اصلی این دفتر جدید و واحد هماهنگ‌کننده جهانی آن، گسترش هر چه بیشتر روابط جامعه بهائی با سازمان ملل متحد و دیگر نهادهای بین‌المللی و جهانی می‌باشد و وظیفه اطلاع‌رسانی عامه مردم و اهدا کنندگان را در سراسر جهان درباره امر الله بعهده دارد. انتظار آنست که در پرتو عنایات الهی تلاش‌های این دفتر وسیله‌ای برای معرفی هر چه بیشتر تعالیم حضرت بهاءالله در جهان گردد و آراسته و منور آماده شود برای پیشرفت تنظیم بهتر جهان و آرامش و صفا و رفاه عالم انسانی.

گروه جوانان بهائی لوس آنجلس

(Los Angeles Bahá’í Youth Workshop)

با مساعی والای مؤسس مستر انیسی و موفقیت‌های این طرح سپیده زده است. کتب و آثار امری به کتابخانه‌های عمومی در Kingstree و Lake City با میل و رغبت کتب مزبور را پذیرفته‌اند.

با ملاقات‌ها و مصاحبه‌ها در شهرها و بخش‌های مختلف در ایالت کارولینای جنوبی از طرف گروه جوانان بهائی Los Angeles Bahá’í Youth Workshop و با راهنمایی لویی انسی، رابط و مؤسس و مسئول سرپرست برای جلب قلوب مردم و ابلاغ تعالیم و پیام بهائیان به عموم مردم و توده اقدام گردیده است. سهمیه مناسبت‌های متعددی با اهداف والای تشکیلات در پیش رو قرار داده شده است که یک گروه فعالیت‌های عملی و منظمی را تشکیل دهند.

کارهای اجرایی از طریق کارکنان مؤسسه لوئیز کروری برای معلمان جدید ارسال گردیده است. سهمیه و طرح معلمان جدید در شهرها با کمک معلمان منطقه و همکاری خود به ثمر نشسته و با تشویق و ترغیب احباء بومی و افراد با نفوذ محلی با هدف دستیابی به اتحاد باقی و برقرار ادامه یابد.

بعضی از طرح‌ها و پروژه‌های این طرح تکمیل اطلاعات از میان شرکت‌کنندگان در این طرح است. هر یک از آنان پس از مطالعه مجموعه "A Special Measure of Love" در جلسات به بحث و تبادل اطلاعات می‌پردازند.

۱/۵ ساعت در روز شرکت‌کنندگان با همکاری معلمان منطقه و جوانان در محل‌های مخصوص و منازل و یا فواصل در خیابان‌های Kingstree و Lake City به دعوت و تبلیغ امر مشغول هستند.

مؤمنین جدید در فعالیت‌های تبلیغی، انتخاب محل جهت انعقاد جلسات، شور و تبادل نظر و آوردن مواد غذایی مشارکت و نظارت داشتند.

کلیه معلمین برای اولین بار در منطقه‌ای تبلیغ را در ایالت کارولینای جنوبی شروع کردند. جمعاً ۴۲ مهاجر از سال گذشته تاکنون به این محل شتافتند و تعداد ۱۰۰۰ نفر با این طرح آشنا شده‌اند.

طرح تبلیغی طبرسی

TABARSI TEACHING PROJECT

طرح تبلیغی طبرسی در ایالت کارولینای جنوبی طرحی است که با فعالیت‌های تبلیغی خود در فاصله ۲۲ می تا ۱۸ جولای ۱۹۸۵ نتیجه نموده که قسمتی از آن ذیلاً درج می‌گردد.

- بر اثر کوشش‌های مستمر و مداوم در زمینه تبلیغ موفق به تشکیل ۸ محفل روحانی جدید گردیده و تعداد مؤمنین و معتقدین جدید متجاوز از ۱۰۰۰ نفر است که ۹۰ نفر جوان و ۹۰ نفر نوزاد در میان آنان می‌باشد. - در زمره این مؤمنین جدید، افرادی از طبقات ثالث، مذهبی و مقامات عالیه جامعه بومی هستند. احبای این طرح همگی مشتاق خدمتند و اتحاد بیشتر بین آنان و احباء با سابقه و مؤسسات امری فراهم آورده و صدای یاران در مناطق فوق‌الذکر امر الله را از طریق اطلاع عمومی و با بوسیله رسانه‌های گروهی و جراید به سمع همگان رسانده‌اند. - بر اثر مساعی یاران، تقاضای ویزای خروجی برای عده‌ای از احباء با جدیّت و اشتیاق دنبال گردیده و در دست اقدام است. - تقویت جوانان و تربیت معلمان. - در منطقه شرقی بر اثر تبلیغ مستمر و مداوم افراد خانواده‌ها با مطالعه بطور دسته‌جمعی ایمان خود را تبیان نمودند. - با استفاده از جاده‌های سلیس تاریخی و سیر در روستاها ظهور الهی و جمال اقدس ابها و مبانی و احکام دیانت بهائی و مؤسسات اداری آن بطور کامل و جامع تبیین و تشریح نمودند و مبلغین به سهم خود از این اهمیّت برخوردار و از آن آگاهی کامل یافته‌اند. - رادیو بهائی WLGI سهم مهمی را در شناسایی تعالیم الهی به عهده دارد. کارهای معمولی رادیو که شامل پخش خبرهای روزمره و برنامه‌های WLGI بصورت مستقیم و به زبان انگلیسی برای استفاده عموم مردم منطقه به اجرا گذاشته شده است. - از هر یک از احبای منطقه بومی و مؤمنین جدید تمنّا دارد که در تکمیل طرح و سهمیه جدید گامی مثبت بردارند و از تعالیم الهی در تمام طول سال بهره‌مند گردند. - پس از اهداء یک جلد مجموعه "God’s New Age" به هر یک از معتقدین و مؤمنین جدید از آنان تقاضا می‌شود که جناحی از فعالیت‌ها را بر عهده بگیرند و با پیام‌های خود تلاوت بنمایند و آنان را به اجتماع خود در راه خدمت و پیشرفت تشویق نمایند. - جراید و رادیو و تلویزیون بخوبی با پیام...

HUQUQU’LLAH

حقوق الله پرداخت‌های مربوط به حقوق الله را ممکن است به نشانی یکی از امناء یا هیئت امنای آن ‎مستقیمآ مستقیماً‎ بر حسب محتوی در پاکت ارسال داشت:

Dr. Elsie Austin P. O. Box 927 Silver Spring, MD 20910

Dr. Amin Banani Santa Monica, CA 90402

Dr. Daryush Haghighi Rocky River, OH 44116

The Northern Trust Company Bahá’í Huqúqu’lláh Trust Box 92959 50 South La Salle Street Chicago, Illinois 60675

نشرات جدید

NEW PUBLICATIONS نشرات جدید کمیته انتشارات

تذکرة الوفاء: ترجمه، تلخیص و تدوین کتاب مستطاب تذکرة الوفاء فارسی با مشخصات ۲/۵ دلار، به جهت نشر احبای محترم می‌باشد.

عهد و میثاق: ترجمه کتاب مستطاب "عهد و میثاق" با قیمت ۱/۸۰ دلار به جهت مطالعه علاقه‌مندان قرار گرفته است. قیمت ۲/۷۵ دلار جهت فروش توسط مؤسسه مطبوعات امری در آمریکا علاوه بر آن قرار گرفته است. [Page 22]

National Fund sees 19% rise as over-all activity increases

The National Bahá’í Fund has experienced at 19 per cent increase in contributions over this time last year, edging us closer to the 40 per cent increase needed to meet our annual goal.

THE INCREASE accompanies other heightened activities in the Bahá’í community. For example, well-planned summer teaching projects have resulted in more than 2,000 new Bahá’ís in the U.S. Across the country, Bahá’ís are rededicating themselves to winning the goals of the Seven Year Plan. Importantly, the National Fund goal has been remembered in this resurgence.

A further increase of 21 per cent in contributions is necessary to start the next Plan with a clean financial slate.

Although the more than $300,000 owed to the World Centre from last year has recently been paid, contributions to the World Centre for this year are lagging. If the current upward contributions trend continues, payments to the World Centre can accelerate.

The support of the National Bahá’í Fund is crucial for sustaining Bahá’í projects worldwide.

The spirits of the National Spiritual Assembly have been bolstered by the encouraging response of the American Bahá’í community to the growing needs of the Cause.

More than 500 plan to give regularly via 'Automatic Contributions' service

More than 500 contributors have signed up for the "Automatic Contributions" service offered by the Office of the Treasurer. This service focuses on the principle of giving regularly.

The Automatic Contributions service deducts a contribution from your bank account each month and transfers it to the National Fund (please see the June and August issues of The American Bahá’í for details).

In addition to the Automatic Contributions system, there are other automated ways to give to the National Fund, such as:

Monthly payments by your bank: Many banks have established an automatic bill paying service for their customers. These banks will make standing monthly payments to designated charitable organizations and charge the customers' accounts.

Automatic transfer by use of your personal computer: Chemical Bank of New York City has a service whereby customers can direct the bank from their home computers to pay their bills by electronic funds transfer. If this service is available through your bank—and you have a home computer and modem—you may wish to make contributions to the National Fund in this way.

Pay by phone: The Sears Roebuck Company has a pay-by-telephone system in some areas of the country. Customers can make contributions to the National Fund simply by telephoning a specific Sears number and giving the pertinent information over the phone. Sears then charges the customers' bank accounts and makes payment to the National Fund.

Payroll deduction: Some employers offer a payroll deduction service for employees who wish to contribute to a charitable organization. When authorized, the employer will deduct the designated amount from the employee's pay check and then send the deducted amount to the National Fund.

Some of the above methods may involve a charge to contributors. To be practical, anyone who considers contributing by one of the above methods should weigh the cost of such a service against the cost and inconvenience of preparing and mailing monthly contributions to the National Fund.

[District Teaching Committee News]

Kathryn Schawacker, a 16-year-old Bahá’í from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has been elected chairman of the Eastern Pennsylvania District Teaching Committee for 1985-86. The 10th grade student, who works part-time as a professional model and plans to study fashion design in college, also serves as secretary of the Eastern Pennsylvania District Youth Committee. Her mother, Virginia Schawacker, also is a member of the District Teaching Committee. Kathryn has attended the Green Acre Summer School every year of her life except one, and she and her brother, Peter, signed their declaration cards last summer in the room once occupied by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá at Green Acre.

Native American's letter tells Fund's importance

Sandi Le Beau, a Native American Bahá’í, recently wrote a letter addressed to her fellow-believers in South Dakota. The letter is at once direct and moving.

MRS. Le BEAU points out the special role of Native Americans in the Faith: "It asks us to remain Indian while joining, as Indian people, a world-wide administrative order."

In Mrs. Le Beau's outline of our responsibilities as Bahá’ís, she highlights the Fund's importance and its relationship to the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, writing: "The Bahá’í Faith is unique in that only Bahá’ís are allowed to give to the Fund. We are given the job of bringing the new World Order into being, and since this is the Bahá’ís' gift to the world, only we can fund it.

"The principle behind it is universal participation in the Fund. So, it's better for everyone to give a little than for a few to give a lot.

"Sometimes people think it's embarrassing to have only a penny to give, so (they think) I should wait until I can give a dollar—but, if we wait, then we're not following the principle of universal participation. So the power comes from all of us giving something every month...

"And the amount you give is between you and God. Only the treasurer who gives you a receipt knows what you have given—it's your business only. No one is going to come to you and say, 'Hey, you didn't give this month'—because it's your responsibility and my responsibility to do it ourselves."

Mrs. Le Beau's letter conveys the vital spirit of the Fund. What "power" will we realize when, aflame with the love of Bahá’u’lláh, we arise as one to usher in His new World Order.

San Jose Bahá’ís sponsor fund-raiser for Bosch complex

On May 18, the Bahá’ís of San Jose, California, sponsored a special fund-raising event for construction of a new educational complex at the Bosch Bahá’í School.

Among the events, geared to people of all ages and interests, were a carnival designed and manned by local youth which included a fishing pond, pendulum art, a fortune-telling booth and "chocolate kisses"; a flea market, bake sale, arts and crafts, and a Persian dinner.

After dinner, there was entertainment and an auction at which the 150 or so Bahá’ís from a 60-mile radius of San Jose raised $5,025.50 for the school (which still needs nearly $150,000 to complete the educational complex).

New from George Ronald, Publisher

Remember the Rainbow by Jacqueline Mehrabi

Why, asked Hom, do I feel different from the animals? Because, said God, you ask the question "why?"

A book for all children who ask the question 'why?' The story of man's physical and spiritual evolution from a Bahá’í viewpoint, in which science and religion go hand in hand. 40 pages. Beautifully illustrated.

Softcover $3.95

Order through your local librarian, or send check or money order including 10% for postage and handling, minimum $1.50, to: Bahá’í Distribution Service 415 LINDEN AVENUE, WILMETTE, IL 60091 [Page 23]

New Telecommunications Institute planned in St. Louis

An International Telecommunications Institute, a state of the art technical training center, is planned on five and one-half acres of land in St. Louis, Missouri.

FOUR Bahá’ís have conceptualized this social and economic development plan that will create training and job placement opportunities in two of the fastest growing high-tech fields.

The Institute, which is a private venture not associated with the Faith except in the fact that those who are planning it are Bahá’ís, is to be built at an estimated cost of $30 million (to be raised by the developers) on land acquired in 1976 by Dr. Ralph Scales, a socio-economic developer who was introduced to the Faith in 1967 and was enrolled in July 1983 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

On that land, Dr. Scales designed and constructed a 17,500 square foot multi-purpose auditorium to help create training and job opportunities for local contractors and unemployed persons.

In 1981, the name of the facility was changed from “Ville Auditorium” to “Victory Center.”

Collaborating with Dr. Scales in the new venture are architect Bill Linton, who has developed the alternate plan for use of the existing center and new possibilities for the still-vacant four and one-half acres; Kareem Almonsur, a broadcast media consultant who has developed the broadcast and video production concept and goals; and Ron Matthews, a microwave scientist who has prepared the microwave technical concept, preliminary income feasibility statement, and curriculum.

New construction at the center will include classrooms, administration and faculty offices, broadcast and video production center, student residences, a student center, facilities for dining and recreation, laboratories, a library and the great court.

Students will be recruited from local, national and international communities. The Institute also will provide national and international telecommunication and microwave linkage.

Details of the plans will be presented at a social and economic development conference to be held October 19 in St. Louis.

Pictured is a drawing of the proposed International Telecommunications Institute to be built as a private enterprise venture by four Bahá’ís in St. Louis, Missouri. The facility is to include (1) broadcast practice laboratories (the existing building is to be renovated), (2) broadcast classrooms, (3) administration and faculty offices, (4) broadcast and video production center, (5) student residences, (6) student center, dining and recreation facilities, (7) microwave engineering classrooms and laboratories and library, and (8) a great court. (Axonometric drawing by William B. Linton)

Four-state conference on development set in October in St. Louis

“A Commitment to Progress: Social and Economic Development Within the Bahá’í Community” is the theme of a four-state regional conference to be held October 19 in St. Louis, Missouri.

William E. Davis, chairman of the National Social and Economic Development Committee, will explain what SED within the Bahá’í community means and why there is a need for it.

Participants will also find ways in which to help their Bahá’í community assess its SED needs, and hear what other Bahá’ís are doing in their communities to bring about greater social and economic development.

Workshop topics will include:

• How to assess your community’s needs.
• “A Transformation of the Heart”—communication skills that help Bahá’ís unlearn their racism, external and internal.
• Putting your goals into action.

Following the conference, there will be a celebration of the anniversary of the Birth of the Báb.

There is a $20 registration for adults which includes lunch, conference materials, and a snack at the evening celebration.

A children’s fee of $3.50 covers lunch and children’s classes.

Registration fees should be received no later than October 1.

For more information, contact Rita Starr, 866 Greeley, Webster Groves, MO 68119, or phone 314-962-6862.

SED Committee welcomes reports, photos

The National Social and Economic Development (SED) Committee welcomes reports and photos from local Bahá’í communities on SED projects/activities in progress.

Please include the name and telephone number of a contact person who could, if necessary, provide more information about the project.

This information will be shared on the SED page in The American Bahá’í and will also be used for reporting U.S. SED activity to the Bahá’í World Centre.

Please address to: SED Committee, c/o Office of the Secretary, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091.

Indian pioneers

Joye LeBeau, a high school junior who became a Bahá’í at the Amoz Gibson Project in South Dakota in 1984, is the first Native American from that project to pioneer to another country.

She left July 24 for Japan where she will spend a year as an exchange student under the International Christian Youth Exchange Program.

Joye, the daughter of Ellsworth and Sandi LeBeau, is an enrolled member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.

She was honored July 20 by about 75 friends from the Cheyenne River and Pine Ridge Reservations at a going away dinner at the home of her grandmother, Ione Bordeaux, in Eagle Butte.

‘Landmark’ development conference held in Md.

“Stirrings at the Grassroots” was the theme of a landmark conference on social and economic development held August 2-4 at Western Maryland College in Westminster under the auspices of the National Social and Economic Development Committee and the Spiritual Assembly of Washington, D.C.

NINETY-TWO adults, 34 youth and 23 children attended the conference, which was planned by an intercommunity task force appointed by the Spiritual Assembly of Washington.

The keynote speaker was Dr. William Maxwell, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly.

Also taking part were Auxiliary Board members Albert James and Sam McClellan, and Firouz Sobhani, a visiting pioneer who is an Auxiliary Board member in Burkina Fasso (formerly Upper Volta), Africa.

Other speakers included Dr. Anne Breneman, a member of the National Social and Economic Development Committee; Marilyn Greene, a member of the National Race Unity Committee; Dr. David Lepard, a member of the National Women’s Committee; Paul Ojermark, a representative of the Bahá’í International Community to the United Nations for social and economic development; and Sohail Dadrasan, a member of the Regional Youth Committee.

In addition to plenary sessions to study the October 1983 message on social and economic development from the Universal House of Justice, there were 14 afternoon workshops that provided an opportunity for conference attendees to engage in (a) a study of consultation, (b) a needs assessment plan for a simulated Bahá’í community, and (c) the planning of a modest project addressing one of those needs.

DURING the workshops, led by 18 facilitators trained by the task force, the emphasis was on process over product.

Each workshop included Persians, black and white Americans, and youth.

Other notable events included a plea by youth for more specific guidance from Bahá’í institutions and adults at this critical hour when the youth are trying to plan careers of service to the Cause within a 15-year period in which the Lesser Peace is to be established.

The Washington Assembly, acting on a suggestion by its task force, organized a skills bank at the conference and invited Bahá’ís in the metropolitan Washington area to identify and list talents, skills or resources they would be willing to share with others in the Bahá’í community.

SPANISH- and/or Creole-speaking nurses and other health professionals are needed in eastern North Carolina where a Regional Migrant Center is presently being established to provide for and coordinate the health care needs of these underserved people. Command of either of these languages is not essential, but would be helpful. If interested, write to Jackie Pulley, RN, nursing director, Nash County Health Department, Rocky Mount, NC 27801. Ms. Pulley is not a Bahá’í. For information about Bahá’í communities in the area, contact Karen Tarlo, P.O. Box 7371, Wilson, NC 27893, or phone her collect at 919-399-8175. [Page 24]

Bahá’í co-authors ‘Teen’s Survival Guide to Moving’

The Teenager’s Survival Guide to Moving, a new book co-authored by Wendy Heller, a Bahá’í from Westlake Village, California, has been published by ‎Athenaeum Atheneum‎, a division of the well-known New York publishing house, Scribner’s.

Ms. Heller is the author of Clementine and the Cage, My Name Is Nabil, The Sunshine Tree and other Tales from Around the World, and the new biography Lidia: The Life of Lidia Zamenhof, Daughter of Esperanto.

She says she and Dr. Patricia Nida wrote The Teenager’s Survival Guide to Moving because the trauma associated with uprooting has become a major problem in our mobile society.

“Although the book is directed to young adults,” says Ms. Heller, “it’s really about moving as a family and covers the concerns of everyone from young children to parents.”

Ms. Heller believes any Bahá’í family facing a move will find the book useful, especially homefront and international pioneers.

Included are chapters on saying goodbye, smoothing transitions to new school and community, and making friends in a new community.

In writing the chapter on moving overseas, Ms. Heller drew on her own experience as a pioneer and traveler.

The book has received excellent reviews in national media including the New York Times.

The School Library Journal acclaimed it as “unique and timely ... therapeutic, practical and realistic in its approach and advice.”

The Teenager’s Survival Guide to Moving is available at bookstores or by sending $10.95 plus $1.50 for postage to Children’s Marketing Department, the Scribner Book Companies, New York, NY 10003.

WENDY HELLER

WE ARE A VAST VOLUNTEER ENTERPRISE BUT ARE WE DOING THE JOB RIGHT?

Volunteer!

How do we accomplish most tasks in the Faith? By finding someone to volunteer to do them. But . . .

• have we chosen the right person for the right job?
• are we using all of the talents of those people who are available to us?
• should we be training people to do certain jobs; i.e., administrative, teaching, program planning, etc.?
• do we adequately demonstrate appreciation for the efforts of our volunteers?

The House of Worship Activities Committee is pleased to invite any Bahá’í who feels that he or she could benefit from bettering the art of volunteer administration to attend a unique, two-day conference at the Mother Temple of the West.

Learn from professionals in the field as well as be able to exchange ideas about incentives, training, evaluation and recognition of volunteers. The conference will include guest speakers, workshops, and many surprises. The keynote speaker will be Ms. Betty Cook, director of volunteer services, Evanston Hospital, and president of the Council of Directors of Hospital Volunteers.

Space is limited, so please complete and return this registration form as quickly as possible.

Bahá’í Volunteer Conference Bahá’í House of Worship November 23-24, 1985
Name __________________________________________________________________________
Address _______________________________________________________________________
City ___________________________	State __________________ Zip _________________
Telephone _____________________________________________________________________
I wish reservations at the North Shore Hilton Hotel for:
____ One Night (23rd)	____ Two Nights (22nd & 23rd)
____ I wish a private room	____ I will share a room
(Room Rate: $49.00 per night total cost - 1 or 2 occupants)

Further information will be sent upon receipt of your registration form. Return to: Bahá’í House of Worship Activities Office, Wilmette, IL 60091.

Thornton Chase Committee thanks friends for their continuing support

The Spiritual Assembly of Inglewood, California, and the Thornton Chase Memorial Bahá’í Intercommunity Committee wish to thank individual Bahá’ís and Assemblies for their continuing financial support of the Thornton Chase Memorial Gravesite.

ITS BEAUTY AND dignity are being preserved, and everyone will be pleased to see it at the annual Memorial Service on Sunday, September 29.

Bahá’ís are becoming more and more aware of the historical importance of Thornton Chase, a successful Chicago insurance executive who became a Bahá’í on June 5, 1894, only 50 years after the beginning of the Bahá’í era and one year after the first public mention of the Faith in the U.S.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá has confirmed that Mr. Chase was the first American Bahá’í. From that time on, his strong faith withstood every attack and his strength helped to confirm his fellow-believers.

His role in helping to save the young Bahá’í community from schism and disintegration, and his unswerving devotion to ensure its progress toward strength and unity, cannot be overestimated.

In 1907, Thornton Chase visited ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the Holy Land, experiencing a great spiritual confirmation, and upon his return he continued to pour out his feelings in poetry and writing.

He wrote and published one of the earliest Bahá’í books in America, The Bahá’í Revelation, a copy of which was sent to and praised by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.

Mr. Chase was a tireless champion of the Faith, confirming new believers in the Chicago area and traveling many miles to teach in Bahá’í communities on the East Coast and in the Midwest.

In 1909, he was asked by his employer to establish a new branch office in Los Angeles. It was there that he spent the remaining years of his life.

For Mr. Chase ‘Abdu’l-Bahá reserved the Persian name “Sabet” (Steadfast), indicating Mr. Chase’s heroic and exemplary contribution to the establishment of the Faith in America.

Membership lists for business only

Bahá’ís who produce materials for distribution and sale throughout the Bahá’í community should be aware that Bahá’í membership lists including the national Bahá’í directory of Bahá’í institutions and administrative agencies, as well as local Bahá’í membership lists or lists coming from district Bahá’í committees are not to be used for promotional or advertising purposes, nor for any use other than the conduct of official Bahá’í business.

Local Bahá’í communities and district committees should also be aware that Bahá’í membership lists are considered confidential and are not to be shared without the permission of the believers. Only the names and addresses of local Spiritual Assembly secretaries and District Teaching Committee secretaries can be shared, and these on a need-to-know basis. [Page 25]

Can you identify anyone in this picture?

This photograph is of an inter-community Bahá’í picnic held August 20, 1944, in Fruitport, Mich. Anyone who can identify any of those in the picture is asked to write to the National Bahá’í Archives, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091.

Although no refugees have been placed, the need for Bahá’í sponsors still exists

Many Bahá’í communities and individuals have generously offered over the last year to sponsor Bahá’í refugees who have no family but wish to resettle in this country. The National Spiritual Assembly is indeed grateful for your offers.

WE ARE sorry that we have as yet been unable to place any refugees with you. This is due to a number of circumstances beyond our control.

First, due to refugee quotas and procedural inadequacies, the number of Bahá’í refugees coming into the country continues to be extremely small. Those who have relatives in this country are given priority.

As a result, few Bahá’í refugee cases without sponsors have been admitted to the U.S., and those who have been admitted have been placed with sponsors by the voluntary agencies processing their case rather than by Bahá’í institutions.

Also, the Universal House of Justice has indicated that the Persian Bahá’ís should resettle whenever possible in countries other than the U.S., Canada or Australia. This means that fewer refugees without relatives in this country will come here.

In spite of these factors, however, there is still a large backlog of Bahá’í refugees wishing to come to this country, many of whom need sponsors.

It is possible that, if procedures are changed, a great number of them will be able to enter this country. Therefore, the need for free sponsors still exists.

HOWEVER, we do not know and will not be able to guarantee when refugees could be placed with a free sponsor.

One possible alternative includes resettling refugees who have already arrived in the U.S. Sometimes such refugees indicate that they wish to move away from their relatives to resettle in goal areas. You or your community may be able to help such refugees to resettle in your area.

In other cases, the sponsoring relatives are unable to provide much financial assistance for their refugees; you may wish to help such sponsors with any resources you have available to you. Help could be provided for them to resettle in goal areas as well.

If you are interested in helping in any way, please write to the Refugee Program Coordinator, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, indicating how you and your community would like to help.

Two Bahá’í dancers prominently featured in Arkansas paper

Ameria Caruthers and her 12-year-old nephew, Nikita (Niki) Sanders, members of the Bahá’í community of Little Rock, Arkansas, were the subjects of a recent feature article in a local newspaper, The Arkansas Democrat.

Ms. Caruthers, 26, and young Niki are aspiring dancers and offer each other encouragement during courses at the Arkansas Arts Center.

While Niki has performed in local productions of the “Nutcracker” ballet for the past three years, Ms. Caruthers was on tour in 1983-84 with “Up with People,” a non-profit international entertainment and educational group, performing in Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, West Germany and other countries.

Niki’s parents, Carl and Angelique Sanders, also are active members of the Bahá’í community of Little Rock.

Teaching Fever Is CONTAGIOUS!—have YOU Caught the Fever Yet?

Questions answered about National Assembly’s new quarterly newsletter, U.S. Bahá’í Report

Within the next month all local Spiritual Assemblies and registered Groups in the continental U.S. will receive a letter and subscription form about “U.S. Bahá’í Report.” In anticipation of questions that may arise, we are providing a list of some questions and answers about the periodical. Please keep this list handy; it should be of help to your community as it consults about this important new Bahá’í publication.

Question: Is U.S. Bahá’í Report a new publication? Answer: Yes. The first issue was dated Spring 1985 and was sent mostly to non-Bahá’í leaders of thought. The Summer 1985 issue has also been mailed, and the Fall 1985 issue will be mailed in October.

Q: Can I still get a copy of the first issue for my personal archives? A: No. We distributed all we had. The first issue is now out of print.

Q: What is the intention of U.S. Bahá’í Report? A: To maintain regular contact with many important people and organizations that have expressed an interest in the situation of the Bahá’ís in Iran and other aspects of the Faith. It not only keeps them informed about developments in Iran, but contains news of what the Bahá’ís in the U.S. are doing and who they are.

Q: Who receives U.S. Bahá’í Report? A: More than 1,300 individuals and organizations. These include most major news media, members of Congress, national and international organizations including those at the UN, and anyone else who expresses an interest. We expect the mailing list to grow much larger.

Q: How much does it cost? A: Those mentioned above receive U.S. Bahá’í Report free. Bahá’ís may subscribe for $10 for one year and $18 for two years. Subscriptions for Bahá’ís outside the U.S. are the same. Subscribers are not only supporting an important publication, but their payments allow us to send U.S. Bahá’í Report free to non-Bahá’ís.

Q: Most of the articles in U.S. Bahá’í Report look like those we’ve already read in Bahá’í News or The American Bahá’í. A: Yes, they do. Remember, the goal readership of U.S. Bahá’í Report is the non-Bahá’í population. It is not necessary for your information, but rather should be used as a teaching tool. Pass it along to your college professor, mayor, or the brother-in-law who wouldn’t read a pamphlet. Your Assembly may want a copy on hand so it knows what information the media and leaders of thought in your state and community are receiving.

Q: Isn’t $10 a year expensive for such a small publication? A: Be patient. We hope to expand the size and frequency of U.S. Bahá’í Report. A year from now, $10 may be a bargain.

Q: Who do I contact to subscribe? A: Subscriber Service at the Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091. Suggestions and comments should be directed to the Periodicals Office at the same address.

Q: What if I know someone who should be receiving U.S. Bahá’í Report? A: Send his or her name and mailing address to Subscriber Service, and we’ll take it from there.

Bahá’í travels, teaches in Switzerland

In June, Eliane Hopson, a Bahá’í from New York City, was invited by the National Spiritual Assembly of ‎Switzeland Switzerland‎ to travel and teach in that country.

Mrs. Hopson is known in French-speaking countries as a regular contributor to “La Pensée Bahá’í,” the quarterly magazine published by the Swiss National Assembly.

Since a special issue of that magazine was recently produced with the French translation of Mrs. Hopson’s article “Creation and Evolution: A Bahá’í Perspective,” a 12-city tour by the author was centered around the topic “Science and the Future of Mankind.”

Mrs. Hopson was interviewed on prime time radio programs in four cities and was the only guest on a popular half-hour program in Geneva.

Newspaper reporters attended some of the meetings, and one of them claimed to have read “Creation/Evolution” three times before setting up a two-hour interview.

Counsellor Ursula Mühlschlegel is sponsoring a German-language translation of “Creation/Evolution,” and the Bahá’í Studies Association in Europe is planning a more formal edition of the text.

Gallup Bahá’ís honor retired principal at ‘Teachers’ Day’ brunch

The Bahá’í community of Gallup, New Mexico, sponsored a brunch recently during “Teachers’ Day U.S.A. Week” to honor Donald Stokes, the retired principal of the Juan de Onate Elementary School, for his 33 years as an outstanding educator in the Gallup-McKinley County school system.

Mrs. Lori Arsenault, who represented the Gallup Bahá’í community at the event, presented a brief biographical sketch of Mr. Stokes’ record as an educator and presented him with a plaque.

Preceding the brunch, Jeff Kiely, a Bahá’í who is a former principal of elementary education at the Pine Hill School in Ramah, New Mexico, spoke on “The Future Trends in Education.”

from the Bahá’í Publishing Trust

for each day of the Bahá’í year

Bahá’í DayBook

Bahá’í DayBook

Bahá’í DayBook Passages for Deepening and Meditation

Daily devotions to help us spiritualize our lives and bring us closer to Bahá’u’lláh’s revelation. Includes:

• questions & answers about Bahá’í life
• explanations of Bahá’í Feasts & Holy Days

Ideal for new and veteran Bahá’ís! $3.75*

384 pages 4⅛ x 6 inches

Order through your local librarian, or send check or money order (including 10% for postage and handling, minimum $1.50) to:

Bahá’í Distribution Service 415 LINDEN AVENUE, WILMETTE, IL 60091 ● 1-800-323-1880 *Price valid only in the United States [Page 26]

Districts

Continued From Page 18

formation phone 615-521-6743.

Tennessee Western (1 delegate). Jackson Civic Center, 400 S. Highland Avenue. Mail ballots to Mark Horst, Nashville, TN 37212. For information phone 615-269-6552.

Texas Central No. 1 (1 delegate). Chautauqua Room, LBJ Memorial Student Center, S.W. Texas State University, San Marcos. Mail ballots to Jeff Kester, San Marcos, TX 78666. For information phone 512-837-2663.

Texas Central No. 2 (1 delegate). Odessa College Student Union Building, University and Andrews Highway, Odessa. Mail ballots to David Fly, Midland, TX 79703. For information phone 915-689-0271.

Texas Eastern No. 1 (4 delegates). Mail ballots to Clare Menking, Rowlett, TX 75088. For location and other information phone Walter Palmer, 214-423-5032.

Texas Eastern No. 2 (2 delegates). College Station Community Center, 1300 Jersey St. Mail ballots to Ajit Giani, P.O. Box 600006, Houston, TX 77260. For information phone 713-667-7529.

Texas Northern (1 delegate). Rotary Clubhouse, Running Water Draw Park, Plainview. Mail ballots to Anne Bell, Amarillo, TX 79110. For information phone 806-293-8080.

Texas Southern (1 delegate). Holiday Inn-Airport, 5549 Leopard St., Corpus Christi. Mail ballots to Ruth Sepulveda, P.O. Box 5492, Corpus Christi, TX 78405. For information phone 512-852-2146.

Utah (1 delegate). Ladies Literary Clubhouse, 850 E. South Temple, Salt Lake City. Mail ballots to David Lewis, Price, UT 84501. For information phone 801-262-0738.

Vermont (1 delegate). Hartford High School, White River Junction. Mail ballots to Nancy Rogers, Montpelier, VT 05602. For information phone 802-223-5583.

Virginia Northern (2 delegates). Lord Fairfax Community College, ‎Middleton Middletown‎. Mail ballots to Paul Olson, Herndon, VA 22070. For information phone 703-437-7117.

Virginia Southeastern (1 delegate). Sheridan Inn-Coliseum, 1215 W. Mercury Blvd., Hampton. Mail ballots to Andrea Perkins, Norfolk, VA 23505. For information phone 804-732-0370.

Virginia Southwestern (1 delegate). Orange Avenue YWCA Building, corner of Orange & Gainsboro N.W., Roanoke. Mail ballots to Ann Samuelson, Roanoke, VA 24015. For information phone 703-343-6343.

Washington Northwestern (3 delegates). Bellevue Community College, 3000 Landerholm Circle S.E. Mail ballots to Janna Kent, P.O. Box 396, Seattle, WA 98111. For information phone 206-392-7858.

Washington Southwestern (1 delegate). Evergreen State College, Olympia. Mail ballots to Barbara Haluapo, Kelso, WA 98626. For information phone 206-423-3354.

West Virginia (1 delegate). Gassaway Community Center. Mail ballots to Bill Miller, Morgantown, WV 26505. For information phone 304-457-1069.

Wisconsin Northern/Michigan Upper (1 delegate). Howard Johnson’s Motor Lodge, 2001 N. Mountain Road, Wausau. Mail ballots to Theodore Heizer, Eau Claire, WI 54701. For information phone 715-839-7657.

Wisconsin Southern (2 delegates). Cedarburg Community Center, W63 N641 Washington Avenue. Mail ballots to Nancy Hinterthuer, Cedarburg, WI 53012. For information phone 414-377-5877.

Wyoming (1 delegate). Holiday Inn, Hot Springs State Park, Thermopolis. Mail ballots to Lorraine Spiering, Riverton, WY 82501. For information phone 307-856-5033.

3-day project for youth held in Harrisburg

From July 9-11, the Spiritual Assembly of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, sponsored a three-day youth project as a part of the UN International Year of Youth.

Two youth, Michael Brehman and Peter Schawacker, delivered specially printed invitations to firesides in two neighborhoods and helped with teaching and firesides.

In cooperation with the city’s Parks Department, Mehrdad Zandieh joined the two youth in helping the city beautify Italian Lake Park.

They also planted 15 trees in the park in memory of the Bahá’í martyrs in Iran, one of whom, Dr. Farhad Asdaghi, was a first cousin of Behzad and Mehrdad Zandieh.

A plaque is to be installed by the trees to commemorate the event. The trees were donated by five local nurseries.

As a result of the youth project, six seekers attended three firesides that week and an article about the project appeared July 12 in the local newspaper.

Jack McCants speaker in Fla. fireside series

Jack McCants of Weatherford, Oklahoma, will be the speaker September 28 at “The New Fireside Venture,” the first in a series of meetings to be held the last Saturday of each month in Plantation, Florida.

Mr. McCants, a well-known traveling teacher who once was a Christian minister, is a former member of the U.S. National Spiritual Assembly and a former Auxiliary Board member.

His Saturday evening talk September 28 will be followed on Sunday by a potluck luncheon and fireside.

Both events are to be held at the home of Wilbert and Christine Rayner in Plantation. All Bahá’ís are invited to come and bring their friends.

For information, phone 305-587-9579 and ask for Chris.

Where was the first Local Spiritual Assembly in America? Find out in The Bahá’í Faith in America: Origins, 1892-1900

S.E. Colorado Media Committee undertakes WATS line project to reach throughout state

As a public information tool for the state of Colorado, the Southeastern Colorado Bahá’í Media Committee has initiated a WATS line project.

Sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of Colorado Springs and designed with help from the Spiritual Assembly of Los Angeles, the project is designed to reach those isolated rural people who perhaps had never before heard of the Bahá’í Faith.

The “800” telephone number is advertised in small weekly newspapers. The ad reads: “Free information: The Bahá’í Faith, the most exciting message of this age! Call 1-800-228-0509.”

The two-minute recording introduces the basic principles of the Faith including the importance of one’s independent investigation of the truth.

The caller is then invited to leave his or her name and address and/or telephone number to receive some fascinating information.

Those who do receive a letter introducing them to the Faith and inviting them to “investigate this Faith and share in this spiritual adventure.”

A four-part correspondence course is available for those who respond to the letter. Also, Bahá’ís in the seeker’s area are notified so they can complete a follow-up.

Public response has been encouraging since the WATS line was installed April 1. As of mid-August, some 60 callers had requested literature while two adults and three children had declared as a result of immediate follow-up by local believers.

The committee believes this project serves not only as a means of locating the “waiting souls,” but may also be a way in which to reach “lost” Bahá’ís who may see the ads.

And it is a valuable communication device that promotes unity among the friends themselves as they use it to relay news of teaching progress to the District Teaching Committee.

Members of the Southeastern Colorado Bahá’í Media Committee at its July 21 session are (left to right) Phyllis Brower, Dessamary Black, Kathryn Remple, John Remple and Jenifer Green. The committee met at the home of Ruth Hampson.

Committee places ads in four Orlando papers

The Bahá’í Media Committee of Greater Orlando, Florida, has three different ads for the Faith appearing consecutively in four area newspapers including a black-oriented community paper and another directed toward Asian-Americans.

The committee also displayed race unity posters for two months in area buses, submitted slides on race unity to all local television stations, and distributed a radio spot on “the most challenging issue” to area stations.

With Florida’s new toll-free Bahá’í phone number, 1-800-859-BAHAI, the committee hopes to further its teaching efforts in central Florida.

Youth have camp-out

On the weekend of July 26-27, seven junior youth from southeastern Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Africa gathered for a camp-out in Foxboro, ‎Massachussetts Massachusetts‎, sponsored by the Local Education Adviser Program (LEAP).

Among the highlights were a youth deepening, a community service project (cleaning up an area of conservation land), a proclamation “sing-along” for neighbors, and a pancake brunch that was used as a fund-raiser.

More than 250 at 73rd ‘Souvenir’ observance

More than 250 Bahá’ís from several states were present June 29 for the 73rd annual Souvenir picnic at the Bahá’í Cabin in Teaneck, New Jersey, commemorating the Unity Feast held there by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in 1912.

The principal speaker was Mrs. Kay Zinky, a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh.

Entertainment was by the musical group “Harvest,” and there was a program for the children.

Arise!

Each year the Bahá’í Groups of Phelps County and Rolla, Missouri, sponsor a booth at the Central Missouri Regional Fair. An effort is always made to be of service to fairgoers. This year, posters about unity were distributed with free ice water. Said ‎on one‎ ‎thristy thirsty‎ woman, ‘Anyone who gives away free ice water deserves to have their literature read.’ The booth itself was donated to the Phelps County community two years ago by the Spiritual Assembly of Lakewood, Ohio, which spent $1,200 building it and had used it in Ohio for several years. [Page 27]

Ten years ago...

... in The American Bahá’í

The American Bahá’í community stands at the halfway mark in meeting the goal set for providing pioneers during the Five Year Plan.

In a recent message, the Universal House of Justice urges the believers to win these goals by the mid-point of the Plan, October 1976.

The Supreme Body says the friends “must arise as quickly as possible before the confusion and chaos which are engulfing the old order disrupt transportation and communications and cause doors which are now open to be closed in our faces ...”

Phase II of the National Spiritual Assembly’s local Spiritual Assembly Development Program is under way at the Bahá’í National Center.

Forty Bahá’ís from all areas of the country are training some 300 additional two-member teams. Each of these teams is, in turn, to train 15 more teams. Together, the teams are to oversee the training of the more than 1,000 local Spiritual Assemblies that are to be trained before the end of the Five Year Plan ...

It is reported that dozens of young Bahá’ís from all over the country are arising to support summer teaching projects up to hundreds of miles from their homes.

The youth are spending their summer vacations traveling across the country to take part in nine teaching projects in seven states, coordinating their efforts to make the most effective use of their time ...

A group of Bahá’ís from Durango, Mexico, is in New Mexico visiting leaders of Pueblo Indian settlements in Pojoaque and Picurís, near Santa Fe.

They are meeting with the pueblo governors to discuss the teachings of the Faith and to present the elected officials with selected Bahá’í literature ...

A message from the Universal House of Justice is read to the members of 14 American Indian tribes attending a Great Council Fire at the International Peace Gardens on the border between Canada and North Dakota:

“Loving greetings from most Holy Land to great Council Fire International Peace Gardens. May Great Spirit guide inspire you fill your hearts His love enabling you contribute a worthy share advancement Indian peoples toward their true destiny envisioned by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Universal House of Justice.”

Discussions center on how the Bahá’í Faith and the “Indian way” blend ...

Letters

Continued From Page 3

solicitations for corporate PACs could be made to union members. Other cases resulted in corporate PACs being able to solicit stockholders for donations.

Since the ’70s many diverse interest groups have organized, collect campaign funds, and actively campaign either for or against political candidates.

Many of these newly organized political “parties” probably have Bahá’ís as members, especially those that are aligned with various principles of the Faith such as peace, civil rights, the environment, wildlife protection, and so on.

WHERE, may I ask, do Bahá’ís draw the line today on politics? Is the Faith itself a special interest group—one without a congressional lobby, PAC, or typical hardware governed by the FECA?

If one views politics as that which creates disunity among people, then much of present day activity must certainly qualify. Environmentalists and industrialists can become fanatical.

I hope this arouses some curiosity on the part of my fellow Bahá’ís to check out what has happened in politics since 1970.

Leo Baldwin Arcata, California

To the Editor:

Two articles in the July issue of The American Bahá’í seem connected to my perception of one solution to problems our community is facing.

IN MY experience, from running a factory to running a children’s class, I’ve found that only when the goals really belong to everyone does success occur.

This is why the article on “Unified Action,” which stated the goals of our elected executives to have us abide by Bahá’í principles, and the article on the victories in Kansas, set me to thinking.

Could the conference goals have been helped by different reporting in this paper? Could we have been inspired to individual initiative and felt unity with diverse localities had we, for example, heard the how, when and where of those eight wonderful declarations?

If the meeting in Hays had been reported, could those in larger cities have gotten the feeling of shared joy with those from that sparsely populated region who shared the potluck supper with Mr. and Mrs. Sears and perhaps 20 or so other believers, and the triumph of having eight or 10 non-Bahá’ís show up at a meeting?

These things are real miracles to people who are pioneering 75 or more miles from the nearest Assembly. Most of them only see that many Bahá’ís in one room at the District Convention.

We shouldn’t focus merely on reporting, but on coming up with more grassroots ideas like the “Get Out of Debt” campaign, which feel more like they are our own.

My goal is to do more reporting of teaching victories to the District Teaching Committee so that I do my part to help the beloved Administrative Order.

Andrea Fischer Alma, Nebraska

To the Editor:

While Americans cannot be expected to pronounce correctly every Persian word in The Dawn-breakers, the time has come for them to learn how to say “Bahá’u’lláh,” “ ‘Abdu’l-Bahá” and “Alláh’u’Abhá.”

The “u” is pronounced with an “o” sound, not an “oo” sound (ask any Persian Bahá’í).

These are three of the most important words in our vocabulary. Let’s make an effort to pronounce them correctly!

Steven C. Calrow Scottsdale, Arizona

To the Editor:

Try though we may, Bahá’ís have to live in two worlds while endeavoring to bring them together through their Faith—the materialistic, divisive world they hope to transform, and the ideal world envisioned in their Teachings.

IT IS all the sadder to note a separateness even in this spiritual environment—a drawing of lines, as it were, between Bahá’í youth and the older generation.

Unless one is a nationally or internationally known Bahá’í “personality,” whose presence youth vie to attain, older Bahá’ís are by and large placed in a camp by themselves, much as the elderly are isolated in the “outer” world.

Much emphasis is placed on “youth” conferences, “youth” sessions, “youth meetings, etc., and while great power lies in the uninhibited, fearless and imaginative approach of young Bahá’ís, others who may have created the climate for such activities in more difficult and less receptive times, and who may have greater insights and inspiring experiences to share but do not bear the label “youth,” have a sense of being set apart in a non-viable category.

This is the same “generation gap” that exists outside the Faith, thus emulating the attitude of a world whose values we are trying to change, and this insularity creates a loneliness of heart, even an uneasiness within older believers when in the midst of younger Bahá’ís who, I might add, tend to leave the group, clustering together in their own cliques, as soon as possible.

Yet of all the peoples in the world, Bahá’ís should feel totally integrated in their communities and in whatever Bahá’í groups they find themselves.

IN ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s household and the communities of ‘Akká and Haifa where He resided, whether believers were of His family or not, many generations not only co-existed, but honored and loved one another.

In my young Bahá’í years I felt privileged to sit at the feet of older believers, listening to their greater wisdom garnered both from life and from the Teachings, learning about how they happened to accept this Revelation, being spell-bound by their experiences, and withal, becoming more inspired by an ‎educated education‎ in the Faith itself.

Perhaps we need to pay as much attention to our older Bahá’ís as to those who have not yet accepted the Faith and whom we are trying to teach.

Could it be that the “youth” might come up with an idea to form the kind of program that exists in some non-Bahá’í communities to bring seniors and young people together in ongoing projects, creating a learning atmosphere and a mutual respect?

Some great teaching power might emanate from this truly Bahá’í example.

Janet Kaye Hollister, California

Pioneer

Continued From Page 5

When last we talked with Jim he said, “Prepare! Plan at least a year in advance if possible.”

As we spoke, he looked back and realized that there had been many years of preparation for himself. His excitement and enthusiasm, however, are no less than when we first saw him in 1968.

In his perseverance and certitude, Jim has brought to us a renewed realization of the promises of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the Tablets of the Divine Plan:

“Should one of them turn his face toward some direction and summon the people to the Kingdom of God, all the ideal forces and lordly confirmations will rush to his support and reinforcement.”

DEEPLY SADDENED LOSS DEVOTED SERVANT BAHÁ’U’LLÁH JOHN BERRY. ARDENTLY PRAYING HOLY SHRINES PROGRESS HIS SOUL ABHÁ KINGDOM AND SOLACE MEMBERS FAMILY.

UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE JULY 10, 1985

Datebook

Continued From Page 15

small.

Thus, it cannot publish two datebooks, as some customers recommended, because there are barely enough Bahá’í buyers to support one.

This is even more true of a desk calendar, which the Trust wanted to print last year but which the budget did not permit. The staff hopes to be able to print a desk calendar in the future.

The Bahá’í Datebook is unique, and the staff at the Publishing Trust hope that it is effective in reinforcing a Bahá’í lifestyle and outlook.

In Memoriam

Robabeh Abrarpour Houston, TX February 19, 1985	R.C. Latimer Corsicana, TX Date Unknown	Walter Rogers Salem, MA June 5, 1985
Mary Anderson Aurora, IL August 4, 1985	Marion Phelps Coventry, RI February 5, 1985	Nejatollah Shayan San Francisco, CA June 13, 1985
Robert Barcote Florence, SC April 16, 1985	Walter Pielick Olympia, WA June 23, 1985	Lynne Sherman Fort Gibson, OK October 1983
Alvina Barth San Mateo, CA Date Unknown	Edward Piotrowski New Berlin, WI July 21, 1985	Mae Smith Kingsford, MI Date Unknown
Raymond Bolden Corsicana, TX Date Unknown	Teresa Pizzorusso New Haven, CT June 20, 1985	Annie Slaughter Fort Valley, GA Date Unknown
Henry Brown Florence, SC July 17, 1985	Cut Rally Newsomes, VA Date Unknown	Helen Snyder West Chester, PA July 17, 1985
Joe Cameron Lake City, SC Date Unknown	Irandokht Rezaie Pittsburgh, PA July 20, 1985	Ruth Stirn Milwaukee, WI May 31, 1985
Salvador Dorado Castroville, CA July 20, 1985	Doris Ridley Newsomes, VA Date Unknown	Lane Stolberg Sarasota, FL August 4, 1985
Isabel G. Ellis N. Charleston, SC July 1985	James Rissler Long Beach, CA July 1985	Grace Williams Newsomes, VA Date Unknown
Tooba Faizi Upper Arlington, OH July 1985	Antonia Roca Milwaukee, WI August 3, 1985	Raymond Zinky Colorado Springs, CO June 1985
Elaine Ingersoll Afton, VA July 24, 1985

[Page 28]

Ads

Continued From Page 16

For details and information, please contact John Shipway, Yukon, OK 73099, or phone Lone Obstema, 405-354-9424.

THERE ARE many, many children in 19 Indian communities throughout South Dakota without prayer books, without children’s classes, without teachers. Where is the rain? Where are the breezes? Will they be trained so they may grow and develop and appear in the utmost beauty? Amoz Gibson Project, 605-462-6309.

ATTENTION all Bahá’í youth! Don’t miss the August issue of Bahá’í News, filled with pages about the International Youth Conference in Columbus, Ohio. You can subscribe to Bahá’í News for $12 a year or $20 for two years, but even if you can’t subscribe we don’t want you to miss this issue. Send a postcard with your name and address and a request for the August 1985 Youth Conference issue of Bahá’í News to Subscriber Service, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, and we’ll send you a copy—free!

PHYSICIANS and other health professionals: want to be in touch with other Bahá’ís in the health care fields? Write for a Bahá’í health care newsletter and include information you’d like printed: your specialty, needs (partner, location, office help, etc.), insights, problems with teaching the Faith in your profession. Write to Hannah Rishel, M.D., Manor, Wichita, KS 67208.

WANTED: An Assembly by Riḍván ... preferably sooner ... through prayers, active teaching or relocation! If you have an urge to move, change scenery, make new friends and become involved in working to form an active Assembly, we need you and you need us. By August, we were a community of five adult Bahá’ís; by Riḍván, we’ll be an Assembly. For information, write to the Bahá’í community of Bismarck, Bismarck, ND 58501, or phone 701-222-8473 (Alan or Pat) or 701-223-6189 (Jeanette).

PEDIATRICS resident and family wish to homefront pioneer. Want to work with another Bahá’í doctor, and must do so in a medically underserved area of the U.S. or its territories. Will complete residency in June 1988. Please contact Hannah Rishel, M.D., Wichita, KS 67208, or phone 319-685-3748 or 319-688-2688.

NEW MEXICO'S Northern District has many small centers where Assemblies are needed and can be formed through unified efforts. Five strong Groups could become Assemblies with “im-plants” of one to five individuals. These places are 10 to 15 minutes from Albuquerque, which has a strong and supportive Assembly. You can choose country-style living with easy access to the city. There’s plenty of housing of all kinds for renters or buyers. The economy is stable with a business expansion now going on. Diversified employment. Write to Bahá’ís, Pajarito, P.O. Box 25852, Albuquerque, NM 87125.

THE LOUHELEN Residential College is now accepting applications for September 1986 enrollment. Twenty-six students will be accepted into the program which will combine formal study of the Faith with degree-earning studies at one of two nearby colleges. Enrollment is limited, so apply as early as possible. For more information or an application, write to the Louhelen Bahá’í School, 3208 S. State Road, Davison, MI 48423, or phone 313-653-5033.

STILL available are many copies of the Winter issue of World Order magazine featuring articles about the recent congressional hearings and the text of the congressional resolution on behalf of the Bahá’ís in Iran. Many Bahá’í communities have used this issue in packets presented to leaders of thought, government officials and the media. For special prices on orders of multiple copies please contact Subscriber Service, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, or phone 312-869-9039.

ATTENTION all youth and adults attending college. In early September, the National Youth Committee will be sending the Campus Plan for 1985-86. If your club does not receive one, or if you would like to form a club and need a packet, contact the committee office, 1371 Sunset Strip, Sunrise, FL 33313, or phone during business hours, 305-584-1844. It is going to be a super year with the close of International Youth Year 1985 and the beginning of the International Year of Peace 1986, plus the release of the Mona video in late August or early September and the Universal House of Justice’s statement on peace to the governments and peoples of the world. You couldn’t be enjoying your higher education at a better time. Be a part of it all: plan to participate in the Bahá’í activities on your campus.

WANTED by the National Bahá’í Archives: records and papers concerning teaching work among the Native Americans. The Archives is especially interested in material from Native American Bahá’ís themselves, either tape recordings of personal recollections or personal papers such as letters, photographs, artifacts or art work. Anyone having such materials that could be donated is asked to contact the National Bahá’í Archives, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091.

THE NATIONAL Social and Economic Development (SED) Committee welcomes reports and photos from local Bahá’í communities on SED projects/activities in progress. Please include the name and telephone number of a contact person who could, if necessary, provide more information about the project. The information will be shared on the SED page in The American Bahá’í and will also be used for reporting U.S. SED activity to the Bahá’í World Centre. Please address to: SED Committee, c/o Office of the Secretary, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091.

BOOKS wanted by the Thornton Chase Memorial Library, Los Angeles Bahá’í Archives: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Canada (1962); Letters to the Friends in Persia, 1906; Tablets, Communes and Holy Utterances; Addresses, by Abdel Karim Effendi Teherani (1900); Bab-Ed-Din, the Door of True Religion, by I.G. Kheiralla (1897); Bahaism, the Religion of Brotherhood and Its Place in the Evolution of Creeds, by Francis Henry Skrine (1912); The Bahá’í World, Vol. 12 (1956); A Heavenly Vista, by Louis Gregory (1911); Whence? Why? Whither? Man! Things! Other Things! by Arthur Pillsbury Dodge (1907); Za-Ti-Et Al-Lah: The Identity and the Personality of God, by I.G. Kheiralla (1896), plus any attacks on the Faith. If you are interested in donating or selling any of these titles, please write to the Reference Library, Los Angeles Bahá’í Center, 5755 Rodeo Road, Los Angeles, CA 90016.

“TO LIVE the life” as a nurse and homefront pioneer, consider Wilson, in eastern North Carolina. Wilson Memorial Hospital needs staff nurses in all departments, especially perinatal. There are also management openings in the medical-surgical and critical care areas. Receptive souls, a mild climate and long growing season await you. For more information, please write to Karen Tarlo (a Bahá’í), Director of Perinatal Nursing, WMH, Wilson, NC 27893, or phone her at 919-399-8175.

SALISBURY, Maryland, the major town on the eastern shore of Maryland and Virginia, situated between the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean, lost its Assembly by Riḍván. Opportunity for small businesses, educational facilities, medical services, and a Grumman factory soon to open. For more information, contact George Stroop, 301-742-7739.

MOVING? TELL US YOUR NEW ADDRESS

To avoid unnecessary delays in receiving your copy of THE AMERICAN BAHÁ’Í, send your new address and your mailing label to the OFFICE OF MEMBERSHIP & RECORDS, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, as soon as you know where you are going to move and what your new address will be.

This form may be used for one person or your entire family. Please be sure to list FULL NAMES AND I.D. NUMBERS for all individuals, ages 15 years or older, who will be affected by this change.

A	ID#	Title	Full name—Please DO NOT use nicknames
1.
2.
3.
4.

B—NEW RESIDENCE ADDRESS:

House/Space #, Street or Description: ____________________________________________________

City: ________________________________ State: __________ Zip: __________

C—NEW MAIL ADDRESS:

P.O. Box or other Mailing Address: _____________________________________________________

City: ________________________________ State: __________ Zip: __________

D—NEW COMMUNITY:

Name of new Bahá’í community: __________________________________ Moving date: __________

E—HOME TELEPHONE NUMBER:

Area Code: __________ Number: ____________________

F—WORK TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Please indicate in the right-hand space whose work numbers these are.

Area Code: __________ Number: ____________________ Name: ______________________________

Area Code: __________ Number: ____________________ Name: ______________________________

G

[ ] We receive extra copies because:

[ ] we do not have the same last name. [ ] we do not want extra copies, so please cancel the copy for the person(s) whose name(s) and I.D. number(s) are listed above. [ ] the last names and addresses on our address labels do not match exactly. We have listed above the full names of all family members as they should appear on the national records, their I.D. numbers, and the corrections so that we will receive only one copy.

[ ] Our household receives only one copy of The American Bahá’í. I wish to receive my own copy as well, and have listed my name, I.D. number and address above so that I may be put on the mailing list to receive my own copy.

BAHÁ’Í NATIONAL CENTER Wilmette, Illinois 60091

BAHÁ’Í FAITH